CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Investment Management:
Revenues	$ 319,724	$ 290,530	$ 630,890	$ 599,529
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	114,348	107,477	224,670	223,671
General and administrative	20,464	17,472	42,547	38,217
Reimbursable tenant costs	15,092	13,796	30,850	26,971
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,815	11,651	22,698	21,726
Stock-based compensation expense	9,048	2,918	14,429	5,579
Merger and other expenses	(2,599)	1,074	(3,075)	1,261
Operating property expenses	2,049	1,388	3,960	6,611
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	968	2,411	2,009	6,441
Subadvisor fees	0	192	0	1,469
Impairment charges	0	0	0	19,420
Total operating expenses	171,185	158,379	338,088	351,366
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(49,252)	(52,182)	(100,892)	(104,722)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	19,840	0	29,212	11,751
Other gains and (losses)	7,545	4,259	(33,643)	(5,556)
Non-operating income	3,065	4,588	9,421	9,980
(Losses) earnings from equity method investments	(156)	33,983	(9,889)	(11,807)
Total other income and expenses	(18,958)	(9,352)	(105,791)	(100,354)
Income before income taxes	129,581	122,799	187,011	147,809
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(9,298)	(7,595)	(15,087)	34,097
Net Income	120,283	115,204	171,924	181,906
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(38)	(9,904)	(45)	(10,516)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	$ 120,245	$ 105,300	$ 171,879	$ 171,390
Basic earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.67	$ 0.61	$ 0.96	$ 0.99
Diluted earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.67	$ 0.61	$ 0.96	$ 0.99
Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	180,099,370	173,401,749	178,379,654	173,325,493
Diluted (in shares)	180,668,732	173,472,755	178,902,259	173,514,894
Real Estate
Real Estate:
Lease revenues	$ 305,310	$ 280,303	$ 607,075	$ 562,413
Lease termination income and other	6,235	1,917	8,462	8,426
Gross contract revenue	3,245	1,427	5,424	7,394
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	3,245	1,427	5,424	7,394
Revenues	314,790	283,647	620,961	578,233
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	114,348	107,477	224,670	222,684
General and administrative	20,464	17,472	42,547	32,394
Reimbursable tenant costs	15,092	13,796	30,850	26,971
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,815	11,651	22,698	21,726
Stock-based compensation expense	9,048	2,918	14,429	4,888
Merger and other expenses	(2,599)	935	(3,090)	803
Operating property expenses	2,049	1,388	3,960	6,611
Impairment charges	0	0	0	19,420
Total operating expenses	170,217	155,637	336,064	335,497
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(49,252)	(52,182)	(100,892)	(104,722)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	19,840	0	29,212	11,751
Other gains and (losses)	7,472	5,437	(34,717)	(5,536)
Non-operating income	3,065	4,505	9,337	9,702
(Losses) earnings from equity method investments	(1,854)	211	(12,973)	1,776
Total other income and expenses	(20,729)	(42,029)	(110,033)	(87,029)
Income before income taxes	123,844	85,981	174,864	155,707
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(9,119)	(4,117)	(15,545)	27,683
Net Income	114,725	81,864	159,319	183,390
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(38)	(39)	(45)	(651)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	114,687	81,825	159,274	182,739
Investment Management
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	4,934	6,883	9,929	21,296
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	4,934	6,883	9,929	21,296
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	987
General and administrative	0	0	0	5,823
Stock-based compensation expense	0	0	0	691
Merger and other expenses	0	139	15	458
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	968	2,411	2,009	6,441
Subadvisor fees	0	192	0	1,469
Total operating expenses	968	2,742	2,024	15,869
Other Income and Expenses
Other gains and (losses)	73	(1,178)	1,074	(20)
Non-operating income	0	83	84	278
(Losses) earnings from equity method investments	1,698	33,772	3,084	(13,583)
Total other income and expenses	1,771	32,677	4,242	(13,325)
Income before income taxes	5,737	36,818	12,147	(7,898)
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(179)	(3,478)	458	6,414
Net Income	5,558	33,340	12,605	(1,484)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(9,865)	0	(9,865)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	5,558	23,475	12,605	(11,349)
Investment Management | Asset management and other revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	3,966	4,472	7,920	14,855
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	3,966	4,472	7,920	14,855
Investment Management | Reimbursable costs from affiliates
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	968	2,411	2,009	6,441
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	$ 968	$ 2,411	$ 2,009	$ 6,441