Income (Loss) Per Share/Income (Loss) Per Class A Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests / in consolidated subsidiaries	$ 194,150	$ 10,021
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(128)	(341)
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	194,022	9,680
Preferred share dividends / unit distributions	(12,534)	(13,035)
Preferred share / unit issuance costs	0	(14,486)
NET INCOME (LOSS) attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	181,488	(17,841)
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(19)	(11)
Numerator for basic income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	181,469	(17,852)
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	15	0
Numerator for diluted income (loss) per share	$ 181,484	$ (17,852)
Denominator:
Denominator for basic income (loss) per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	190,689	190,081
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	271	0
Convertible preferred shares/units	36	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per share - weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)	190,996	190,081
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE – BASIC:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95	$ (0.09)
Net income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	0.95	(0.09)
INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE – DILUTED:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.95	(0.09)
Net income (loss) per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95	$ (0.09)
Vornado Realty L.P.
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests / in consolidated subsidiaries	$ 206,361	$ 8,919
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(137)	(363)
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	206,224	8,556
Preferred share dividends / unit distributions	(12,575)	(13,084)
Preferred share / unit issuance costs	0	(14,486)
NET INCOME (LOSS) attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	193,649	(19,014)
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(1,147)	(771)
Numerator for basic income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	192,502	(19,785)
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	15	0
Numerator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit	$ 192,517	$ (19,785)
Denominator:
Denominator for basic income (loss) per Class A unit – weighted average units (in shares)	202,772	201,929
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	536	0
Convertible preferred shares/units	36	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	203,344	201,929
INCOME (LOSS) PER CLASS A UNIT – BASIC:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.95	$ (0.10)
Net income (loss) per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	0.95	(0.10)
INCOME (LOSS) PER CLASS A UNIT – DILUTED:
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	0.95	(0.10)
Net income (loss) per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.95	$ (0.10)