Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	JBG SMITH Properties	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares / Units	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Earnings Less Than Distributions JBG SMITH Properties	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Non- controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries JBG SMITH Properties	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. JBG SMITH Properties	Vornado Realty L.P. Real estate fund investments	Vornado Realty L.P. Other	Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units	Vornado Realty L.P. Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions JBG SMITH Properties	Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (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	Series G & I Preferred Stock	Series G & I Preferred Stock Preferred Shares / Units	Series G & I Preferred Stock Earnings Less Than Distributions	Series G & I Preferred Stock Vornado Realty L.P.	Series G & I Preferred Stock Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units	Series G & I Preferred Stock Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Series M	Series M Preferred Shares / Units	Series M Vornado Realty L.P.	Series M Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016					42,825	189,101													42,825	189,101
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 7,618,496				$ 1,038,055	$ 7,542	$ 7,153,332	$ (1,419,382)		$ 118,972	$ 719,977				$ 7,618,496				$ 1,038,055	$ 7,160,874	$ (1,419,382)		$ 118,972	$ 719,977
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	227,416							227,416							238,326						238,326
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(10,910)														(10,910)						(10,910)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	25,802		$ 14,044								25,802				25,802									25,802
Distributions to Vornado															(496,490)						(496,490)
Dividends on common shares	(496,490)							(496,490)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(65,399)							(65,399)							(65,399)						(65,399)
Series M cumulative redeemable preferred units issuance costs, shares																																		12,780		12,780
Series M cumulative redeemable preferred units issuance																																	$ 309,609	$ 309,609	$ 309,609	$ 309,609
Series G and Series I cumulative redeemable preferred units called for redemption, shares																												(18,800)			(18,800)
Series G and Series I cumulative redeemable preferred units called for redemption																											$ (455,514)	$ (455,514)		$ (455,514)	$ (455,514)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, shares						403														403
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value	38,747					$ 16	38,731								38,747					$ 38,747
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares						449														449
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan	28,253					$ 18	28,235								28,253					$ 28,253
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares						17														17
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan	1,459					$ 1	1,458								1,459					$ 1,459
Contributions:
Contributions:	1,044										1,044				1,044									1,044
Distributions:
Distributions		$ (2,428,345)	(73,850)	$ (2,618)					$ (2,428,345)			$ 0	$ (73,850)	$ (2,618)		$ (2,428,345)	$ (73,850)	$ (2,618)				$ (2,428,345)			$ (73,850)	$ (2,618)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares					(5)	10													(5)	10
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0				$ (162)	$ 0	162												$ (162)	$ 162
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares																				0
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	1,828						2,246	(418)							1,828					$ 2,246	(418)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(20,951)									(20,951)					(20,951)								(20,951)
Amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	14,402									14,402					14,402								14,402
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,425									1,425					1,425								1,425
(Reduction) increase in value of interest rate swaps and other	15,477									15,477					15,477								15,477
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	268,494						268,494								268,494					$ 268,494			0
Redeemable noncontrolling interests / partnership units' share of above adjustments	(642)									(642)					(642)								(642)
Other, shares						4														4
Other, value	(942)					$ 0		(635)		(1)	(306)				(942)					$ 0	(635)		(1)	(306)
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2017					36,800	189,984													36,800	189,984
Ending 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]
Cumulative effect of accounting change	14,519							122,893		(108,374)					14,519						122,893		(108,374)
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	449,954							449,954							475,626						475,626
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(25,672)														(25,672)						(25,672)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(53,023)		(61,230)								(53,023)				(53,023)									(53,023)
Distributions to Vornado															(479,348)						(479,348)
Dividends on common shares	(479,348)							(479,348)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(50,636)							(50,636)							(50,636)						(50,636)
Series G and Series I cumulative redeemable preferred shares issuance costs (shares)																												0			0
Series G and Series I cumulative redeemable preferred shares issuance costs																											$ (15,149)	$ (663)	$ (14,486)	$ (15,149)	$ (663)	$ (14,486)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, shares						244														244
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value	17,068					$ 10	17,058								17,068					$ 17,068
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares						279														279
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan	(6,266)					$ 12	5,907	(12,185)							(6,266)					$ 5,919	(12,185)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares						20														20
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan	1,390					$ 1	1,389								1,390					$ 1,390
Contributions:
Contributions:			46,942	15,715									46,942	15,715			46,942	15,715							46,942	15,715
Distributions:
Distributions			(12,665)	(33,250)									(12,665)	(33,250)			(12,665)	(33,250)							(12,665)	(33,250)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares					0	2													0	2
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	(1)				$ (31)	$ 0	30								(1)				$ (31)	$ 30
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares						6														6
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	1,036					$ 0	1,157	(121)							1,036					$ 1,157	(121)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	0														0
Amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0														0
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,155									1,155					1,155								1,155
(Reduction) increase in value of interest rate swaps and other	(14,634)									(14,634)					(14,634)								(14,634)
Unearned 2015/2016 Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	9,046						9,046								9,046					9,046
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	198,064						198,064								198,064					198,064
Redeemable noncontrolling interests / partnership units' share of above adjustments	836									836					836								836
Consolidation of the Farley joint venture	8,720										8,720				8,720									8,720
Other, value	709						548	(2)		(1)	164				709					$ 548	(2)		(1)	164
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2018					36,800	190,535													36,800	190,535
Ending 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 attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	3,147,937							3,147,937							3,358,809						3,358,809
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(210,872)														(210,872)						(210,872)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(24,547)		(55,274)								(24,547)				(24,547)									(24,547)
Special dividend ($1.95 per share)	(372,380)							(372,380)							(372,380)						(372,380)
Distributions to Vornado															(503,785)						(503,785)
Dividends on common shares	(503,785)							(503,785)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(50,131)							(50,131)							(50,131)						(50,131)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, shares						171														171
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value	11,250					$ 7	11,243								11,250					$ 11,250
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares						245														245
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan	(3,098)					$ 10	5,479	(8,587)							(3,098)					$ 5,489	(8,587)
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares						22														22
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan	1,414					$ 1	1,413								1,414					$ 1,414
Contributions:
Contributions:			$ 9,023	$ 8,848									$ 9,023	$ 8,848			$ 9,023	$ 8,848							$ 9,023	$ 8,848
Distributions:
Distributions	(45,587)										(45,587)				(45,587)									(45,587)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares					(2)	6													(2)	6
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0				$ (80)	$ 0	80								0				$ (80)	$ 80
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares						7														7
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	990					$ 0	1,095	(105)							990					$ 1,095	(105)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	0														0
Amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	(2,311)									(2,311)					(2,311)								(2,311)
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(938)									(938)					(938)								(938)
(Reduction) increase in value of interest rate swaps and other	(47,885)									(47,885)					(47,885)								(47,885)
Unearned 2015/2016 Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	11,720						11,720								11,720					11,720
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	70,810						70,810								70,810					$ 70,810
Redeemable noncontrolling interests / partnership units' share of above adjustments	3,235									3,235					3,235								3,235
Deconsolidation of partially owned entity	(11,441)										(11,441)				(11,441)									(11,441)
Other, shares					(2)														(2)
Other, value	(29)				$ 0			(31)		2					(29)				$ 0		(31)		2
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2019					36,796	190,986													36,796	190,986
Ending balance, value at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 7,310,978				$ 891,214	$ 7,618	$ 7,827,697	$ (1,954,266)		$ (40,233)	$ 578,948				$ 7,310,978				$ 891,214	$ 7,835,315	$ (1,954,266)		$ (40,233)	$ 578,948