Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income [Member]	Non-controlling Interest [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Limited Partners' Common Equity [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member] AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Non-controlling Interest [Member]	Duke Realty Limited Partnership [Member] Stockholders' Equity, Total [Member]
Beginning Balance - General Partner at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 4,574,378	$ 3,564	$ 5,205,316		$ (676,036)	$ 41,534
Beginning Balance - Partnership at Dec. 31, 2017							$ 4,574,378	$ 4,532,844	$ 40,563		$ 971	$ 4,573,407
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	322,842				319,833	3,009	322,842	319,833	3,002		7	322,835
Issuance of common shares	30,591	11	30,580
Capital contribution from the General Partner							30,591	30,591				30,591
Stock based compensation plan activity	10,122	7	2,633		(951)	8,433	10,122	1,689	8,433			10,122
Conversion of Limited Partner Units	0	1	1,966			(1,967)	0	1,967	(1,967)
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Subsidiary Equity Issuance	3,475					3,475	3,475				3,475
Distributions to Partners							(216,484)	(214,463)	(2,021)			(216,484)
Distributions to common shareholders	(214,463)				(214,463)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,021)					(2,021)
Ending Balance - General Partner at Sep. 30, 2018	4,724,924	3,583	5,240,495		(571,617)	52,463
Ending Balance - Partnership at Sep. 30, 2018							4,724,924	4,672,461	48,010		4,453	4,720,471
Beginning Balance - General Partner at Jun. 30, 2018	4,708,970	3,572	5,209,605		(552,685)	48,478
Beginning Balance - Partnership at Jun. 30, 2018							4,708,970	4,660,492	47,503		975	4,707,995
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	53,523				53,025	498	53,523	53,025	495		3	53,520
Issuance of common shares	29,215	10	29,205
Capital contribution from the General Partner							29,215	29,215				29,215
Stock based compensation plan activity	2,057	1	1,656		(301)	701	2,057	1,356	701			2,057
Conversion of Limited Partner Units	0	0	29			(29)	0	29	(29)
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Subsidiary Equity Issuance	3,475					3,475	3,475				3,475
Distributions to Partners							(72,316)	(71,656)	(660)			(72,316)
Distributions to common shareholders	(71,656)				(71,656)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(660)					(660)
Ending Balance - General Partner at Sep. 30, 2018	4,724,924	3,583	5,240,495		(571,617)	52,463
Ending Balance - Partnership at Sep. 30, 2018							4,724,924	4,672,461	48,010		4,453	4,720,471
Beginning Balance - General Partner at Dec. 31, 2018	4,713,243	3,589	5,244,375	$ (4,676)	(585,087)	55,042
Beginning Balance - Partnership at Dec. 31, 2018							4,713,243	4,662,877	50,585	$ (4,676)	4,457	4,708,786
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	345,122				342,170	2,952	345,122	342,170	2,971		(19)	345,141
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(37,428)			(37,428)			(37,428)			(37,428)		(37,428)
Issuance of common shares	222,672	68	222,604
Capital contribution from the General Partner							222,672	222,672				222,672
Stock based compensation plan activity	11,850	6	5,531		(896)	7,209	11,850	4,641	7,209			11,850
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Subsidiary Equity Issuance	312					312	312				312
Distributions to Partners							(234,352)	(232,323)	(2,029)			(234,352)
Distributions to common shareholders	(232,323)				(232,323)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,176)					(2,176)	(147)				(147)
Ending Balance - General Partner at Sep. 30, 2019	5,021,272	3,663	5,472,510	(42,104)	(476,136)	63,339
Ending Balance - Partnership at Sep. 30, 2019							5,021,272	5,000,037	58,736	(42,104)	4,603	5,016,669
Beginning Balance - General Partner at Jun. 30, 2019	4,702,121	3,606	5,290,382	(28,717)	(624,674)	61,524
Beginning Balance - Partnership at Jun. 30, 2019							4,702,121	4,669,314	56,910	(28,717)	4,614	4,697,507
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	228,531				226,566	1,965	228,531	226,566	1,968		(3)	228,534
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(13,387)			(13,387)			(13,387)			(13,387)		(13,387)
Issuance of common shares	180,544	55	180,489
Capital contribution from the General Partner							180,544	180,544				180,544
Stock based compensation plan activity	1,920	2	1,639		(255)	534	1,920	1,386	534			1,920
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Subsidiary Equity Issuance							8
Distributions to Partners							(78,449)	(77,773)	(676)			(78,449)
Distributions to common shareholders	(77,773)				(77,773)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(684)					(684)					(8)
Ending Balance - General Partner at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 5,021,272	$ 3,663	$ 5,472,510	$ (42,104)	$ (476,136)	$ 63,339
Ending Balance - Partnership at Sep. 30, 2019							$ 5,021,272	$ 5,000,037	$ 58,736	$ (42,104)	$ 4,603	$ 5,016,669