Income Per Share / Income Per Class A Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation Of Earnings Per Share
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 131,479	$ 238,504	$ 193,084	$ 144,033
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	622	2,322	2,898	2,994
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	132,101	240,826	195,982	147,027
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions	(16,129)	(20,363)	(32,258)	(40,727)
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	115,972	220,463	163,724	106,300
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(13)	(25)	(27)	(30)
Numerator for basic income per share / per Class A unit	115,959	220,438	163,697	106,270
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	20	21	0	0
Earnings allocated to Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	233	24
Numerator for diluted income per share / per Class A unit	$ 115,979	$ 220,459	$ 163,930	$ 106,294
Denominator for basic income (loss) per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	189,395	188,772	189,304	188,715
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	1,011	1,070	1,089	1,020
Convertible preferred shares / units	38	43	0	0
Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	281	265
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	190,444	189,885	190,674	190,000
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	$ 0.61	$ 1.16	$ 0.84	$ 0.54
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0	0.01	0.02	0.02
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	0.61	1.17	0.86	0.56
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.61	1.15	0.84	0.54
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0	0.01	0.02	0.02
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.61	$ 1.16	$ 0.86	$ 0.56
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	$ 139,144	$ 252,882	$ 203,826	$ 150,880
Income from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	663	2,475	3,091	3,191
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	139,807	255,357	206,917	154,071
Preferred share dividends / Preferred unit distributions	(16,177)	(20,412)	(32,355)	(40,824)
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	123,630	234,945	174,562	113,247
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(742)	(1,059)	(1,759)	(1,412)
Numerator for basic income per share / per Class A unit	122,888	233,886	172,803	111,835
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	20	22	0	0
Numerator for diluted income per share / per Class A unit	$ 122,908	$ 233,908	$ 172,803	$ 111,835
Denominator for basic income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units	201,127	200,369	200,987	200,220
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	1,458	1,564	1,630	1,601
Convertible preferred shares / units	38	42	0	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	202,623	201,975	202,617	201,821
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.61	$ 1.16	$ 0.84	$ 0.54
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per unit)	0	0.01	0.02	0.02
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	0.61	1.17	0.86	0.56
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE / CLASS A UNIT - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	0.61	1.15	0.84	0.54
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per unit)	0	0.01	0.01	0.01
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.61	$ 1.16	$ 0.85	$ 0.55