Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	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 Shares	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	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.	133,748						133,748					140,069					140,069
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(6,321)											(6,321)					(6,321)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(34,449)	$ (34,896)							(34,449)			(34,449)							(34,449)
Dividends on common shares	(239,594)						(239,594)
Distributions to Vornado ($0.66 per unit)												(239,594)					(239,594)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(25,569)						(25,569)					(25,569)					(25,569)
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					176											176
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	12,246				$ 7	12,239						12,246				$ 12,246
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					61											61
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	3,786				$ 3	3,783						3,786				$ 3,786
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10											10
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	685					685						685				$ 685
Contributions:
Contributions		45,347	$ 14,211							$ 45,347	$ 14,211		$ 45,347	$ 14,211						$ 45,347	$ 14,211
Distributions:
Distributions	(15,891)	(10,246)	(23,201)							(10,246)	(23,201)		(10,246)	(23,201)						(10,246)	(23,201)
Preferred unit issuance, value	(663)			$ (663)								(663)			$ (663)
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					7											7
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	464					585	(121)					464				$ 585	(121)
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	736							736				736						736
Increase/reduction in value of interest rate swaps	13,166							13,166				13,166						13,166
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	9,046					9,046						9,046				9,046
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	36,450					36,450						36,450				36,450
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(859)							(859)				(859)						(859)
Other, value	549					547	1		1			549				$ 547	1		1
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2018				36,800	190,238										36,800	190,238
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2018	4,943,587			$ 891,325	$ 7,587	7,555,993	(4,206,381)	33,351	661,712			4,943,587			$ 891,325	$ 7,563,580	(4,206,381)	33,351	661,712
Beginning balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018				36,800	190,169										36,800	190,169
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	124,068						124,068					131,513					131,513
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(7,445)											(7,445)					(7,445)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(26,175)	(29,527)							(26,175)			(26,175)							(26,175)
Dividends on common shares	(119,830)						(119,830)
Distributions to Vornado ($0.66 per unit)												(119,830)					(119,830)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(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					58											58
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	3,854				$ 2	3,852						3,854				$ 3,854
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					6											6
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	352				$ 1	351						352				$ 352
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5											5
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	350					350						350				$ 350
Contributions:
Contributions		43,653	7,535							43,653	7,535		43,653	7,535						43,653	7,535
Distributions:
Distributions	(7,985)	(8,336)	(19,751)							(8,336)	(19,751)		(8,336)	(19,751)						(8,336)	(19,751)
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	287					287						287				287
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	390							390				390						390
Increase/reduction in value of interest rate swaps	2,908							2,908				2,908						2,908
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(78,406)					(78,406)						(78,406)				(78,406)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(205)							(205)				(205)						(205)
Other, value	549					546	3					549				$ 546	3
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2018				36,800	190,238										36,800	190,238
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2018	4,943,587			$ 891,325	$ 7,587	7,555,993	(4,206,381)	33,351	661,712			4,943,587			$ 891,325	$ 7,563,580	(4,206,381)	33,351	661,712
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.	2,606,749						2,606,749					2,781,466					2,781,466
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(174,717)											(174,717)					(174,717)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	28,271	7,692							28,271			28,271							28,271
Dividends on common shares	(251,803)						(251,803)
Distributions to Vornado ($0.66 per unit)												(251,803)					(251,803)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(25,066)						(25,066)					(25,066)					(25,066)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					92											92
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	6,129				$ 4	6,125						6,129				$ 6,129
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					165											165
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	(7,347)				$ 7	1,338	(8,692)					(7,347)				$ 1,345	(8,692)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10											10
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	701					701						701				$ 701
Contributions:
Contributions		3,384	4,931							$ 3,384	4,931		$ 3,384	4,931						$ 3,384	4,931
Distributions:
Distributions	(16,936)		(32,204)								(32,204)	(32,204)							(32,204)
Preferred unit issuance, shares															(2)	3
Preferred unit issuance, value												0			$ (38)	$ 38
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(2)	3
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (38)		38
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					8											8
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	563					563						563				$ 563
Amount reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	(2,311)							(2,311)				(2,311)						(2,311)
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(960)							(960)				(960)						(960)
Increase/reduction in value of interest rate swaps	(45,544)							(45,544)				(45,544)						(45,544)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	11,720					11,720						11,720				11,720
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	99,407					99,407						99,407				99,407
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	3,082							3,082				3,082						3,082
Deconsolidation of partially owned entity	(11,441)								(11,441)			(11,441)							(11,441)
Other, value	0					(1)	1	3	(3)			0				$ (1)	1	3	(3)
Other, shares				(1)											(1)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2019				36,797	190,813										36,797	190,813
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2019	7,496,144			$ 891,256	$ 7,611	7,845,748	(1,845,995)	(38,066)	635,590			7,496,144			$ 891,256	$ 7,853,359	(1,845,995)	(38,066)	635,590
Beginning balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2019				36,798	190,761										36,798	190,761
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	2,412,727						2,412,727					2,575,242					2,575,242
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(162,515)											(162,515)					(162,515)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	21,451	$ 4,955							21,451			21,451							21,451
Dividends on common shares	(125,927)						(125,927)
Distributions to Vornado ($0.66 per unit)												(125,927)					(125,927)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(12,532)						(12,532)					(12,532)					(12,532)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					44											44
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	2,948				$ 2	2,946						2,948				$ 2,948
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					3											3
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	174					174						174				$ 174
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5											5
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	361					361						361				$ 361
Contributions:
Contributions	3,121								3,121					3,121							3,121
Distributions:
Distributions	(8,448)		$ (24,440)								$ (24,440)			$ (24,440)							$ (24,440)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(1)	1										(1)	1
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (7)		7						0			$ (7)	$ 7
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					(1)											(1)
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	266					266						266				$ 266
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	25							25				25						25
Increase/reduction in value of interest rate swaps	(28,515)							(28,515)				(28,515)						(28,515)
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	165,225					165,225						165,225				165,225
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	1,806							1,806				1,806						1,806
Deconsolidation of partially owned entity	(11,441)								(11,441)			(11,441)							(11,441)
Other, value	3					(1)	2	3	(1)			3				$ (1)	2	3	(1)
Other, shares				0
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2019				36,797	190,813										36,797	190,813
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 7,496,144			$ 891,256	$ 7,611	$ 7,845,748	$ (1,845,995)	$ (38,066)	$ 635,590			$ 7,496,144			$ 891,256	$ 7,853,359	$ (1,845,995)	$ (38,066)	$ 635,590