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 (loss) income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	2,606,749						2,606,749					2,781,466					2,781,466
Net loss attributable to redeemable partnership units	(174,717)											(174,717)					(174,717)
Net loss attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	28,271								28,271			28,271							28,271
Dividends on common shares	(251,803)						(251,803)
Distributions to Vornado												(251,803)					(251,803)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit 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 employees' share option plan, shares					165											165
Under employees' share option plan, value	(7,347)				$ 7	1,338	(8,692)					(7,347)				$ 1,345	(8,692)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10											10
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	701				$ 0	701						701				$ 701
Contributions:
Contributions	(32,204)	$ 3,384	$ 4,931						(32,204)	$ 3,384	$ 4,931		$ 3,384	$ 4,931						$ 3,384	$ 4,931
Distributions:
Distributions												(32,204)							(32,204)
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		0
Preferred unit issuance, shares															(2)	3
Preferred unit issuance, value												0			$ (38)	$ 38
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					8											8
Deferred compensation shares and options	563					563		0				563				$ 563
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	(960)							(960)				(960)						(960)
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps and other	(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, shares				1	0										(1)	0
Other, value	0			$ 0	$ 0	(1)	1	3	(3)			0			$ 0	$ (1)	1	3	(3)
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 (loss) income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	2,412,727						2,412,727					2,575,242					2,575,242
Net loss attributable to redeemable partnership units	(162,515)											(162,515)					(162,515)
Net loss attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	21,451								21,451			21,451							21,451
Dividends on common shares	(125,927)						(125,927)
Distributions to Vornado												(125,927)					(125,927)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit 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 employees' share option plan, shares					3											3
Under employees' share option plan, value	174				$ 0	174						174				$ 174
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5											5
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	361				$ 0	361						361				$ 361
Contributions:
Contributions	3,121								3,121			3,121							3,121
Distributions:
Distributions	(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	266					266						266				$ 266
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss relating to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0											0
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	25							25				25						25
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps and other	(28,515)					0		(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, shares				0												0
Other, value	3			$ 0		(1)	2	3	(1)			3				$ (1)	2	3	(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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting change (see Note 4)	(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 (loss) income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	(167,726)						(167,726)					(181,700)					(181,700)
Net loss attributable to redeemable partnership units	13,974											13,974					13,974
Net loss attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(140,291)								(140,291)			(140,291)							(140,291)
Dividends on common shares	(252,247)						(252,247)
Distributions to Vornado												(252,247)					(252,247)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(25,061)						(25,061)					(25,061)					(25,061)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					49											49
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	2,464				$ 2	2,462						2,464				$ 2,464
Under employees' share option plan, shares					69											69
Under employees' share option plan, value	3,517				$ 3	3,514						3,517				$ 3,517
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					31											31
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	1,750				$ 1	1,749						1,750				$ 1,750
Contributions:
Contributions		$ 3,389	$ 2,479							$ 3,389	$ 2,479		$ 3,389	$ 2,479						$ 3,389	$ 2,479
Distributions:
Distributions	(10,530)								(10,530)			(10,530)							(10,530)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(2)	4										(2)	4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (50)		50						0			$ (50)	$ 50
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					13											13
Deferred compensation shares and options	465				$ 1	601	(137)					465				$ 602	(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
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps and other	(45,399)							(45,399)				(45,399)						(45,399)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	10,824					10,824						10,824				10,824
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	248,879					248,879						248,879				$ 248,879
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,978							2,978				2,978						2,978
Other, shares				0	1										0	(1)
Other, value	(1,504)			$ 0	$ 0	(2)	1		(1,503)			(1,504)			$ 0	$ (2)	1		(1,503)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2020				36,794	191,151										36,794	191,151
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2020	6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 7,625	8,095,774	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492			6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 8,103,399	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492
Beginning balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2020				36,796	191,116										36,796	191,116
Beginning 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	(185,220)						(185,220)					(199,584)					(199,584)
Net loss attributable to redeemable partnership units	14,364											14,364					14,364
Net loss attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(17,904)								(17,904)			(17,904)							(17,904)
Dividends on common shares	(126,141)						(126,141)
Distributions to Vornado												(126,141)					(126,141)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(12,530)						(12,530)					(12,530)					(12,530)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					22											22
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	824				$ 1	823						824				$ 824
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10											10
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	368				$ 0	368						368				$ 368
Contributions:
Contributions	1,082								1,082			1,082							1,082
Distributions:
Distributions	(5,295)								(5,295)			(5,295)							(5,295)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(2)	4										(2)	4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (47)		47						0			$ (47)	$ 47
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares																0
Deferred compensation shares and options	304					304						304				$ 304
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss relating to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0											0
Other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	0											0
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps and other	78							78				78						78
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(18,291)					(18,291)						(18,291)				$ (18,291)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(5)							(5)				(5)						(5)
Other, shares				0	(1)											(1)
Other, value	(1,573)						3		(1,576)			(1,573)				$ 0	3		(1,576)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2020				36,794	191,151										36,794	191,151
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 7,625	$ 8,095,774	$ (2,415,500)	$ (82,646)	$ 432,492			6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 8,103,399	(2,415,500)	$ (82,646)	$ 432,492
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect of accounting change (see Note 4)												$ (16,064)					$ (16,064)