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, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests / in consolidated subsidiaries	$ 2,412,671	$ 123,427	$ 2,606,821	$ 133,448
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	56	641	(72)	300
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	2,412,727	124,068	2,606,749	133,748
Preferred share dividends / unit distributions	(12,532)	(12,534)	(25,066)	(25,569)
Preferred share / unit issuance costs	0	0	0	(14,486)
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	2,400,195	111,534	2,581,683	93,693
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(239)	(11)	(258)	(22)
Numerator for basic income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	2,399,956	111,523	2,581,425	93,671
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	14	16	29	0
Earnings allocated to Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	9	37
Numerator for diluted income (loss) per share	$ 2,399,970	$ 111,539	$ 2,581,463	$ 93,708
Denominator:
Denominator for basic income per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	190,781	190,200	190,735	190,141
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	243	930	256	934
Convertible preferred shares/units	34	38	35	0
Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	4	115
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per share - weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)	191,058	191,168	191,030	191,190
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE – BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	$ 12.58	$ 0.59	$ 13.53	$ 0.49
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	12.58	0.59	13.53	0.49
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE – DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	12.56	0.58	13.51	0.49
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 12.56	$ 0.58	$ 13.51	$ 0.49
Vornado Realty L.P.
Numerator:
Income from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests / in consolidated subsidiaries	$ 2,575,182	$ 130,830	$ 2,781,543	$ 139,749
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	60	683	(77)	320
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	2,575,242	131,513	2,781,466	140,069
Preferred share dividends / unit distributions	(12,573)	(12,582)	(25,148)	(25,666)
Preferred share / unit issuance costs	0	0	0	(14,486)
NET INCOME attributable to common shareholders / Class A unitholders	2,562,669	118,931	2,756,318	99,917
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(10,162)	(772)	(10,860)	(1,544)
Numerator for basic income (loss) per share / per Class A unit	2,552,507	118,159	2,745,458	98,373
Convertible preferred share dividends / unit distributions	14	16	29	0
Numerator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit	$ 2,552,521	$ 118,175	$ 2,745,487	$ 98,373
Denominator:
Denominator for basic income (loss) per Class A unit – weighted average units (in shares)	202,924	202,064	202,848	201,997
Vornado employee stock options and restricted share / unit awards (in shares)	522	1,252	508	1,269
Convertible preferred shares/units	34	38	35	0
Denominator for diluted income (loss) per Class A unit - weighted average units and assumed conversions	203,480	203,354	203,391	203,266
INCOME PER CLASS A UNIT – BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	$ 12.58	$ 0.58	$ 13.53	$ 0.49
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	12.58	0.58	13.53	0.49
INCOME PER CLASS A UNIT – DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per unit)	12.54	0.58	13.50	0.48
Net income per Class A unit (in dollars per unit)	$ 12.54	$ 0.58	$ 13.50	$ 0.48