Income Per Share / Income Per Class A Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests									$ 900,185	$ 711,240	$ 312,700
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests									6,732	49,194	552,152
Net income attributable to Vornado									906,917	760,434	864,852
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions									(75,903)	(80,578)	(81,464)
Preferred share / unit issuance cost (Series J redemption)									(7,408)	0	0
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	$ 651,181	$ 66,125	$ 220,463	$ (114,163)	$ 230,742	$ 198,870	$ 165,651	$ 84,593	823,606	679,856	783,388
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities									(96)	(81)	(125)
Numerator for basic income per share									823,510	679,775	783,263
Convertible preferred share dividends									86	91	97
Earnings allocated to Out-Performance Plan units									806	0	0
Numerator for diluted income per share									$ 824,402	$ 679,866	$ 783,360
Denominator for basic income per share - weighted average shares (in shares)									188,837	188,353	187,572
Employee stock options and restricted share awards (in shares)									1,064	1,166	1,075
Out-Performance Plan units									230	0	0
Convertible preferred shares									42	45	43
Denominator for diluted income per share - weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)									190,173	189,564	188,690
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)									$ 4.32	$ 3.35	$ 1.23
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)									0.04	0.26	2.95
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 3.44	$ 0.35	$ 1.17	$ (0.61)	$ 1.22	$ 1.05	$ 0.88	$ 0.45	4.36	3.61	4.18
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)									4.3	3.33	1.22
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)									0.04	0.26	2.93
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 3.43	$ 0.35	$ 1.16	$ (0.61)	$ 1.22	$ 1.05	$ 0.87	$ 0.45	$ 4.34	$ 3.59	$ 4.15
Vornado Realty L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests									$ 953,399	$ 751,403	$ 326,789
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests									7,172	52,262	585,676
Net income attributable to Vornado									960,571	803,665	912,465
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions									(76,097)	(80,736)	(81,514)
Preferred share / unit issuance cost (Series J redemption)									(7,408)	0	0
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	$ 693,377	$ 70,442	$ 234,945	$ (121,698)	$ 245,735	$ 211,526	$ 175,800	$ 89,868	877,066	722,929	830,951
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities									(4,177)	(4,092)	(4,260)
Numerator for basic income per share									872,889	718,837	826,691
Convertible preferred share dividends									86	92	97
Numerator for diluted income per share									$ 872,975	$ 718,929	$ 826,788
Denominator for basic income per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions									200,350	199,309	198,213
Employee stock options and restricted share awards (in shares)									1,625	1,804	1,557
Convertible preferred shares									42	45	43
Denominator for diluted income per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions									202,017	201,158	199,813
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net									$ 4.32	$ 3.35	$ 1.22
Income from discontinued operations, net									0.04	0.26	2.95
Net income per Class A unit	$ 3.44	$ 0.35	$ 1.17	$ (0.61)	$ 1.22	$ 1.05	$ 0.88	$ 0.45	4.36	3.61	4.17
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net									4.29	3.31	1.21
Income from discontinued operations, net									0.03	0.26	2.93
Net income per Class A unit	$ 3.43	$ 0.35	$ 1.16	$ (0.61)	$ 1.21	$ 1.05	$ 0.87	$ 0.44	$ 4.32	$ 3.57	$ 4.14