Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	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	Vornado Realty L.P. Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Vornado Realty L.P. Common Shares	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	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 Earnings Less Than Distributions	Series G & I Preferred Stock Vornado Realty L.P.	Series G & I Preferred Stock Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016				42,825	189,101										42,825		189,101
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 7,618,496			$ 1,038,055	$ 7,542	$ 7,153,332	$ (1,419,382)	$ 118,972	$ 719,977			$ 7,618,496			$ 1,038,055	$ 7,160,874		$ (1,419,382)	$ 118,972	$ 719,977
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	63,881						63,881					67,110						67,110
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(3,229)											(3,229)						(3,229)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	6,737	$ 3,503							6,737			6,737								6,737
Dividends on common shares	(134,332)						(134,332)
Distributions to Vornado												(134,332)						(134,332)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(16,129)						(16,129)					(16,129)						(16,129)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					140												140
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	14,739				$ 6	14,733						14,739				14,739
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					96												96
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	8,097				$ 3	8,094						8,097				8,097
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					3												3
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	387				$ 0	387						387				387
Contributions:
Contributions	75								75			75								75
Distributions:
Distributions	(9,163)	(4,528)	$ (590)							$ (4,528)	$ (590)		$ (4,528)	$ (590)							$ (4,528)	$ (590)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (6)		6						0			$ (6)	6
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					3												3
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	311					575	(264)					311				575		(264)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(15,009)							(15,009)				(15,009)							(15,009)
Pro rata share of amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	9,268							9,268				9,268							9,268
Pro rata share of other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(51)							(51)				(51)							(51)
Increase in value of interest rate swaps	5,842							5,842				5,842							5,842
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	6,197					6,197						6,197				6,197
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(3)							(3)				(3)							(3)
Other, value	(61)						(10)		(51)			(61)						(10)		(51)
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2017				42,825	189,343										42,825		189,343
Ending balance, value at Mar. 31, 2017	7,563,327			$ 1,038,049	$ 7,551	7,183,324	(1,506,236)	119,019	721,620			7,563,327			$ 1,038,049	7,190,875		(1,506,236)	119,019	721,620
Cumulative effect of accounting change (see Note 3)	14,519						122,893	(108,374)				14,519						122,893	(108,374)
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
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	9,680						9,680					8,556						8,556
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	1,124											1,124						1,124
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(8,274)	(5,369)							(8,274)			(8,274)								(8,274)
Dividends on common shares	(119,764)						(119,764)
Distributions to Vornado												(119,764)						(119,764)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(13,035)						(13,035)					(13,035)						(13,035)
Preferred share issuance costs																							$ 14,486	$ 14,486	$ 14,486	$ 14,486
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					118												118
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	8,392				$ 5	8,387						8,392				8,392
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, shares					55												55
Under Vornado's employees' share option plan, value	3,434				$ 2	3,432						3,434				3,434
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, shares					5												5
Under Vornado's dividend reinvestment plan, value	335				$ 0	335						335				335
Contributions:
Contributions	8,370								8,370			8,370								8,370
Distributions:
Distributions	(7,906)	$ (1,910)	$ (3,450)							$ (1,910)	$ (3,450)		$ (1,910)	$ (3,450)							$ (1,910)	$ (3,450)
Preferred unit issuance												(663)			$ (663)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	(663)			$ (663)
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					7												7
Deferred compensation shares and options, value	177				$ 0	298	(121)					177				298		(121)
Reduction in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	0											0
Pro rata share of amounts reclassified related to a nonconsolidated subsidiary	0											0
Pro rata share of other comprehensive income (loss) of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	346							346				346							346
Increase in value of interest rate swaps	10,258							10,258				10,258							10,258
Unearned 2015 Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	9,046					9,046						9,046				9,046
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	114,856					114,856						114,856				114,856
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(654)							(654)				(654)							(654)
Other, value	0					(1)	(2)		1			0				1		(2)		1
Ending balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2018				36,800	190,169										36,800		190,169
Ending balance, value at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 5,024,878			$ 891,325	$ 7,584	$ 7,629,013	$ (4,198,088)	30,258	$ 664,786			$ 5,024,878			$ 891,325	$ 7,636,597		$ (4,198,088)	$ 30,258	$ 664,786
Cumulative effect of accounting change (see Note 3)								$ (108,374)