Consolidated Statement of Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total USD ($)	No Par Value Common Stock	$0.001 Par Value Common Stock USD ($)	Additional Paid-in Capital USD ($)	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings USD ($)	Deferred Compensation Obligation USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) USD ($)	Treasury Stock USD ($)	Total W.P. Carey Members USD ($)	Noncontrolling interest USD ($)
Balance - beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 716,402			$ 779,071	$ (95,046)	$ 7,063	$ (8,507)		$ 682,581	$ 33,821
Beginning equity balance - shares at Dec. 31, 2011		39,729,018
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Exchange of shares of W. P. Carey & Co. LLC shares for shares of W.P.Carey Inc. in connection with merger, value	0		40	(40)					0
Exchange of shares of W. P. Carey & Co. LLC shares for shares of W.P.Carey Inc. in connection with the merger, shares		(39,834,827)	39,834,827
Shares issued to stockholders in connection with the merger, value	1,380,361		28	1,380,333					1,380,361
Shares issued to stockholders in connection with the merger, shares			28,170,643
Shares issued in public offering, value	0
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	237,359			(154)					(154)	237,513
Reclassification of Estate shareholder shares	(40,000)			(40,000)					(40,000)
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, value	1,553			1,553					1,553
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, shares		30,993	13,768
Cash proceeds on issuance of shares to third party, value	45,000		1	44,999					45,000
Cash proceeds on issuance of shares to third party, shares			937,500
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, value	0								0
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, shares		427,425	3,822
Shares issued under share incentive plans, value	646			646					646
Shares issued under share incentive plans, shares		238,728	27,044
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	3,291								0	3,291
Windfall tax benefits - share incentive plan	10,185			10,185					10,185
Forfeitures of shares - value	0								0
Forfeitures of shares - shares		(29,919)
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	26,038			25,067		971			26,038
Redemption value adjustment	(840)			(840)					(840)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(6,649)									(6,649)
Distributions declared	(138,944)				(139,268)	324			(138,944)
Purchase of treasury stock from related party, value	(45,270)							(45,270)	(45,270)
Purchase of treasury stock from related parties, shares		(561,418)	(416,408)
Cancellation of shares, value				(25,000)				25,000
Cancellation of shares, shares			(85,671)
Net income	62,739				62,132				62,132	607
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	7,721						6,127		6,127	1,594
Realized and unrealized loss on derivative instruments	(2,262)						(2,262)		(2,262)
Change in unrealized depreciation on marketable securities	(7)						(7)		(7)
Balance - end of period at Dec. 31, 2012	2,257,323		69	2,175,820	(172,182)	8,358	(4,649)	(20,270)	1,987,146	270,177
Ending equity balance - shares at Dec. 31, 2012		0	68,485,525
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued in public offering, value	0
Reclassification of Estate shareholder shares	40,000			40,000					40,000
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, value	2,312			2,312					2,312
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, shares			55,423
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, value	0								0
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, shares			295,304
Shares issued under share incentive plans, value	(9,183)			(9,183)					(9,183)
Shares issued under share incentive plans, shares			47,289
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	65,145								0	65,145
Windfall tax benefits - share incentive plan	12,817			12,817					12,817
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	37,196			34,737		2,459			37,196
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(71,820)									(71,820)
Distributions declared	(244,734)				(245,271)	537			(244,734)
Purchase of treasury stock from related party, value	(40,000)							(40,000)	(40,000)
Purchase of treasury stock from related parties, shares			(616,971)
Foreign currency translation	(5)									(5)
Net income	131,812				98,876				98,876	32,936
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	21,848						19,965		19,965	1,883
Realized and unrealized loss on derivative instruments	20						20		20
Balance - end of period at Dec. 31, 2013	2,202,731		69	2,256,503	(318,577)	11,354	15,336	(60,270)	1,904,415	298,316
Ending equity balance - shares at Dec. 31, 2013	68,266,570	0	68,266,570
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued to stockholders in connection with the merger, value	1,815,521		31	1,815,490					1,815,521
Shares issued to stockholders in connection with the merger, shares			30,729,878
Shares issued in public offering, value	282,162		5	282,157					282,162
Shares issued in public offering, shares			4,600,000
Purchase of the remaining interests in less-than-wholly-owned investments that we already consolidate in connection merger	(280,936)			(41,374)					(41,374)	(239,562)
Purchase of noncontrolling interest	99,757									99,757
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, value	1,890			1,890					1,890
Exercise of stock options and employee purchase under the employee share purchase plan, shares			39,655
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, value	(15,737)			(15,737)					(15,737)
Grants issued in connection with services rendered, shares			368,347
Shares issued under share incentive plans, value	(1,428)			(1,428)					(1,428)
Shares issued under share incentive plans, shares			47,240
Deferral of vested shares	0			(15,428)		15,428			0
Contributions from noncontrolling interest	570									570
Windfall tax benefits - share incentive plan	5,641			5,641					5,641
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	31,075			31,075					31,075
Redemption value adjustment	306			306					306
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(19,719)									(19,719)
Distributions declared	(379,835)			3,178	(386,855)	3,842			(379,835)
Purchase of treasury stock from related party, value	(678)							(678)	(678)
Purchase of treasury stock from related parties, shares			(11,037)
Foreign currency translation	76									76
Net income	246,211				239,826				239,826	6,385
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(117,947)						(111,970)		(111,970)	(5,977)
Realized and unrealized loss on derivative instruments	21,085						21,085		21,085
Change in unrealized depreciation on marketable securities	(10)						(10)		(10)
Balance - end of period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 3,890,735		$ 105	$ 4,322,273	$ (465,606)	$ 30,624	$ (75,559)	$ (60,948)	$ 3,750,889	$ 139,846
Ending equity balance - shares at Dec. 31, 2014	104,040,653	0	104,040,653