Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Units	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other	Vornado Realty L.P.	Vornado Realty L.P. Real estate fund investments	Vornado Realty L.P. Other	Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Units	Vornado Realty L.P. Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Vornado Realty L.P. Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Vornado Realty L.P. Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Vornado Realty L.P. Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting change	$ 14,519						$ 122,893	$ (108,374)				$ 14,519					$ 122,893	$ (108,374)
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017				36,800	189,984										36,800	189,984
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2017	5,007,701			$ 891,988	$ 7,577	$ 7,492,658	(4,183,253)	128,682	$ 670,049			5,007,701			$ 891,988	$ 7,500,235	(4,183,253)	128,682	$ 670,049
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	9,680						9,680					8,556					8,556
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	1,124											1,124					1,124
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(8,274)	$ (5,369)							(8,274)			(8,274)							(8,274)
Dividends on common shares	(119,764)						(119,764)
Distributions to Vornado												(119,764)					(119,764)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(13,035)						(13,035)					(13,035)					(13,035)
Preferred unit issuance costs	(14,486)						(14,486)					(14,486)					(14,486)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					118											118
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	8,392				$ 5	8,387						8,392				$ 8,392
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					55											55
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	3,434				$ 2	3,432						3,434				$ 3,434
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5											5
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	335				$ 0	335						335				$ 335
Contributions:
Contributions	8,370								8,370				$ 8,370							$ 8,370
Distributions:
Distributions	(7,906)	(1,910)	$ (3,450)							$ (1,910)	$ (3,450)		(1,910)	$ (3,450)						(1,910)	$ (3,450)
Preferred share issuance	(663)			$ (663)								(663)			$ (663)
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					7											7
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	177				$ 0	298	(121)					177				$ 298	(121)
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	346							346				346						346
(Reduction) Increase in value of interest rate swaps	10,258							10,258				10,258						10,258
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	9,046					9,046						9,046				9,046
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	114,856					114,856						114,856				114,856
Redeemable partnership units' share of above adjustments	(654)							(654)				(654)						(654)
Other, value	0				$ 0	1	(2)	0	1			0				$ 1	(2)	0	1
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018				36,800	190,169										36,800	190,169
Ending balance, value at Mar. 31, 2018	5,024,878			$ 891,325	$ 7,584	7,629,013	(4,198,088)	30,258	664,786			5,024,878			$ 891,325	$ 7,636,597	(4,198,088)	30,258	664,786
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018				36,800	190,535										36,800	190,535
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2018	5,107,883			$ 891,294	$ 7,600	7,725,857	(4,167,184)	7,664	642,652			5,107,883			$ 891,294	$ 7,733,457	(4,167,184)	7,664	642,652
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	194,022						194,022					206,224					206,224
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(12,202)											(12,202)					(12,202)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	6,820	2,737							6,820			6,820							6,820
Dividends on common shares	(125,876)						(125,876)
Distributions to Vornado												(125,876)					(125,876)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(12,534)						(12,534)					(12,534)					(12,534)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					48											48
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	3,181				$ 2	3,179						3,181				$ 3,181
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					162											162
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	(7,521)				$ 7	1,164	(8,692)					(7,521)				$ 1,171	(8,692)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5											5
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	340				$ 0	340						340				$ 340
Contributions:
Contributions		3,384	1,810							3,384	1,810		$ 3,384	1,810						$ 3,384	1,810
Distributions:
Distributions	(8,488)	$ 0	$ (7,764)							$ 0	$ (7,764)			$ (7,764)							$ (7,764)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(1)	2										(1)	2
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (31)	$ 0	31						0			$ (31)	$ 31
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					9											9
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	297				$ 0	297	$ 0					297				$ 297	0
Amount reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	(2,311)							(2,311)				(2,311)						(2,311)
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(985)							(985)				(985)						(985)
(Reduction) Increase in value of interest rate swaps	(17,029)							(17,029)				(17,029)						(17,029)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	11,720					11,720						11,720				11,720
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(65,818)					(65,818)						(65,818)				(65,818)
Redeemable partnership units' share of above adjustments	1,276							1,276				1,276						1,276
Other, shares							(1)								(1)
Other, value	(3)					0	$ (1)		(2)			(3)				$ 0	(1)		(2)
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019				36,798	190,761										36,798	190,761
Ending balance, value at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 5,090,892			$ 891,263	$ 7,609	$ 7,676,770	$ (4,120,265)	$ (11,385)	$ 646,900			$ 5,090,892			$ 891,263	$ 7,684,379	$ (4,120,265)	$ (11,385)	$ 646,900