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 Income (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 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
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)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit 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					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	(7,764)								(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)		$ 31						0			$ (31)	$ 31
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					9	297										9
Deferred compensation shares and options	297											297				$ 297
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss relating to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	(2,311)							(2,311)				(2,311)						(2,311)
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(985)							(985)				(985)						(985)
Reduction 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 noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	1,276							1,276				1,276						1,276
Other, shares				(1)											(1)
Other, value	(3)						(1)		(2)			(3)					(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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting change	(16,064)						(16,064)					(16,064)					(16,064)
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2019				36,796	190,986										36,796	190,986
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	17,494						17,494					17,884					17,884
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(390)											(390)					(390)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(122,387)	(127,305)							(122,387)			(122,387)							(122,387)
Dividends on common shares	(126,106)						(126,106)
Distributions to Vornado												(126,106)					(126,106)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(12,531)						(12,531)					(12,531)					(12,531)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					27											27
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	1,640				$ 1	1,639						1,640				$ 1,640
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					69											69
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	3,517				$ 3	3,514						3,517				$ 3,517
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					21											21
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	1,382				$ 1	1,381						1,382				$ 1,382
Contributions:
Contributions		$ 3,389	$ 1,397							$ 3,389	$ 1,397		$ 3,389	$ 1,397						$ 3,389	$ 1,397
Distributions:
Distributions	(5,235)								(5,235)			(5,235)							(5,235)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (3)		3						0			$ (3)	$ 3
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					13											13
Deferred compensation shares and options	161				$ 1	297	(137)					161				$ 298	(137)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss relating to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0											0
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	8							8				8						8
Reduction in value of interest rate swaps	(45,477)							(45,477)				(45,477)						(45,477)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	10,824					10,824						10,824				10,824
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	267,170					267,170						267,170				267,170
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,983							2,983				2,983						2,983
Other, value	69					(2)	(2)		73			69				$ (2)	(2)		73
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2020				36,796	191,116										36,796	191,116
Ending balance, value at Mar. 31, 2020	$ 7,293,212			$ 891,211	$ 7,624	$ 8,112,523	$ (2,091,612)	$ (82,719)	$ 456,185			$ 7,293,212			$ 891,211	$ 8,120,147	$ (2,091,612)	$ (82,719)	$ 456,185