CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Real Estate:
Income from direct financing leases and loans receivable	$ 18,379	$ 17,742
Investment Management:
Revenues	348,438	311,166
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	115,393	110,322
General and administrative	23,084	22,083
Impairment charges	20,179	0
Reimbursable tenant costs	16,960	15,758
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	13,779	10,883
Stock-based compensation expense	7,833	5,381
Operating property expenses	2,787	1,911
Merger and other expenses	(2,322)	(476)
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	927	1,041
Total operating expenses	198,620	166,903
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(46,053)	(51,640)
Other gains and (losses)	35,745	(41,188)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	11,248	9,372
Non-operating income	8,546	6,356
Earnings (losses) from equity method investments	4,772	(9,733)
Total other income and expenses	14,258	(86,833)
Income before income taxes	164,076	57,430
Provision for income taxes	(7,083)	(5,789)
Net Income	156,993	51,641
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	(7)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	$ 156,995	$ 51,634
Basic earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.29
Diluted earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.29
Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	191,911,414	176,640,861
Diluted (in shares)	192,416,642	176,965,510
Real Estate
Real Estate:
Lease revenues	$ 307,725	$ 284,665
Income from direct financing leases and loans receivable	18,379	17,742
Lease termination income and other	14,122	1,585
Gross contract revenue	3,865	2,179
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	3,865	2,179
Revenues	344,091	306,171
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	115,393	110,322
General and administrative	23,084	22,083
Impairment charges	20,179	0
Reimbursable tenant costs	16,960	15,758
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	13,779	10,883
Stock-based compensation expense	7,833	5,381
Operating property expenses	2,787	1,911
Merger and other expenses	(2,325)	(491)
Total operating expenses	197,690	165,847
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(46,053)	(51,640)
Other gains and (losses)	34,418	(42,189)
Gain on sale of real estate, net	11,248	9,372
Non-operating income	8,542	6,272
Earnings (losses) from equity method investments	(787)	(11,119)
Total other income and expenses	7,368	(89,304)
Income before income taxes	153,769	51,020
Provision for income taxes	(6,913)	(6,426)
Net Income	146,856	44,594
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	(7)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	146,858	44,587
Investment Management
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	4,347	4,995
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	4,347	4,995
Operating Expenses
Merger and other expenses	3	15
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	927	1,041
Total operating expenses	930	1,056
Other Income and Expenses
Other gains and (losses)	1,327	1,001
Non-operating income	4	84
Earnings (losses) from equity method investments	5,559	1,386
Total other income and expenses	6,890	2,471
Income before income taxes	10,307	6,410
Provision for income taxes	(170)	637
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	10,137	7,047
Investment Management | Asset management and other revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	3,420	3,954
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	3,420	3,954
Investment Management | Reimbursable costs from affiliates
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	927	1,041
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	$ 927	$ 1,041