Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares / Units	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 / Units	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	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 N	Series N Preferred Shares / Units	Series N Vornado Realty L.P.	Series N Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Earnings Less Than Distributions	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Vornado Realty L.P.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
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													$ 14,519	$ 122,893	$ (108,374)	$ 14,519	$ 122,893	$ (108,374)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
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 Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(53,023)								(53,023)			(53,023)							(53,023)
Dividends on common shares	(479,348)						(479,348)
Distributions to Vornado												(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)
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares issuance																						$ (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					2											2
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	(1)			$ (31)		30						(1)			$ (31)	$ 30
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares					6											6
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	1,036					1,157	(121)					1,036				$ 1,157	(121)
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 in value of interest rate swaps	(14,634)							(14,634)				(14,634)						(14,634)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	9,046					9,046						9,046				9,046
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	198,064					198,064						198,064				198,064
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' 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 Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(24,547)								(24,547)			(24,547)							(24,547)
Dividends on common shares	(503,785)						(503,785)
Special dividend ($1.95 per share)	(372,380)						(372,380)					(372,380)					(372,380)
Distributions to Vornado												(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)		80						0			$ (80)	$ 80
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares					7											7
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	990					1,095	(105)					990				$ 1,095	(105)
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 in value of interest rate swaps	(47,885)							(47,885)				(47,885)						(47,885)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	11,720					11,720						11,720				11,720
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	70,810					70,810						70,810				$ 70,810
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' 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)						(31)	2				(29)					(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													$ (16,064)	$ (16,064)		$ (16,064)	$ (16,064)
Distributions:
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	$ (297,005)						(297,005)					(321,951)					(321,951)
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	24,946											24,946					24,946
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	(140,438)								(140,438)			(140,438)							(140,438)
Dividends on common shares	(454,939)						(454,939)
Distributions to Vornado												(454,939)					(454,939)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders (see Note 12 for dividends per share amounts)	(51,739)						(51,739)					(51,739)					(51,739)
Cumulative redeemable preferred units issuance, shares																													12,000		12,000
Cumulative redeemable preferred shares issuance																												$ 291,182	$ 291,182	$ 291,182	$ 291,182
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value, shares					236											236
Upon redemption of redeemable Class A units, at redemption value	9,266				$ 9	9,257						9,266				$ 9,266
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					69											69
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan	3,517				$ 3	3,514						3,517				$ 3,517
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					47											47
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan	2,345				$ 2	2,343						2,345				$ 2,345
Contributions:		$ 3,389	$ 4,305							$ 3,389	$ 4,305		$ 3,389	$ 4,305						$ 3,389	$ 4,305
Distributions	(33,007)								(33,007)			(33,007)							(33,007)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(3)	4										(3)	4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (57)	$ 0	57						0			$ (57)	$ 57
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares					13											13
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	1,169				$ 1	1,305	(137)					1,169				$ 1,306	(137)
Amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0											0
Other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(14,342)							(14,342)				(14,342)						(14,342)
Reduction in value of interest rate swaps	(29,972)							(29,972)				(29,972)						(29,972)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	10,824					10,824						10,824				10,824
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	344,043					344,043						344,043				344,043
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,914							2,914				2,914						2,914
Other, value	1,729					(6,533)	(32)	6,534	1,760			1,729				$ (6,533)	(32)	6,534	1,760
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2020				48,793	191,355										48,793	191,355
Ending balance, value at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 6,948,155			$ 1,182,339	$ 7,633	$ 8,192,507	$ (2,774,182)	$ (75,099)	$ 414,957			$ 6,948,155			$ 1,182,339	$ 8,200,140	$ (2,774,182)	$ (75,099)	$ 414,957