Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares	Common Shares	Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) 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. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) 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	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Earnings Less Than Distributions	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Vornado Realty L.P.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2019				36,796	190,986											36,796	190,986
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 7,310,978			$ 891,214	$ 7,618		$ 7,827,697	$ (1,954,266)	$ (40,233)	$ 578,948			$ 7,310,978			$ 891,214	$ 7,835,315	$ (1,954,266)	$ (40,233)	$ 578,948			$ (16,064)	$ (16,064)	$ (16,064)	$ (16,064)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	(167,726)							(167,726)					(181,700)					(181,700)
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	13,974												13,974					13,974
Net income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(140,291)									(140,291)			(140,291)							(140,291)
Dividends on common shares	(252,247)							(252,247)
Distributions to Vornado													(252,247)					(252,247)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(25,061)							(25,061)					(25,061)					(25,061)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					49												49
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	2,464				$ 2		2,462						2,464				$ 2,464
Under employees' share option plan, shares					69												69
Under employees' share option plan, value	3,517				$ 3		3,514						3,517				$ 3,517
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					31												31
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	1,750				$ 1		1,749						1,750				$ 1,750
Contributions:
Contributions		$ 3,389	$ 2,479								$ 3,389	$ 2,479		$ 3,389	$ 2,479						$ 3,389	$ 2,479
Distributions:
Distributions	(10,530)									(10,530)			(10,530)							(10,530)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(2)	4	4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (50)			50						0			$ (50)	$ 50
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					13												13
Deferred compensation shares and options	465				$ 1		601	(137)					465				$ 602	(137)
Other comprehensive income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	8								8				8						8
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps	(45,399)								(45,399)				(45,399)						(45,399)
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	10,824						10,824						10,824				10,824
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	248,879						248,879						248,879				$ 248,879
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,978								2,978				2,978						2,978
Other, shares					(1)												(1)
Other, value	(1,504)						(2)	1		(1,503)			(1,504)				$ (2)	1		(1,503)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2020				36,794	191,151											36,794	191,151
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2020	6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 7,625		8,095,774	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492			6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 8,103,399	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492
Beginning balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2020				36,796	191,116											36,796	191,116
Beginning balance, value at Mar. 31, 2020	7,293,212			$ 891,211	$ 7,624		8,112,523	(2,091,612)	(82,719)	456,185			7,293,212			$ 891,211	$ 8,120,147	(2,091,612)	(82,719)	456,185
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	(185,220)							(185,220)					(199,584)					(199,584)
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	14,364												14,364					14,364
Net income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	(17,904)									(17,904)			(17,904)							(17,904)
Dividends on common shares	(126,141)							(126,141)
Distributions to Vornado													(126,141)					(126,141)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(12,530)							(12,530)					(12,530)					(12,530)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					22												22
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	824				$ 1		823						824				$ 824
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10												10
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	368						368						368				$ 368
Contributions:
Contributions	1,082									1,082			1,082							1,082
Distributions:
Distributions	(5,295)									(5,295)			(5,295)							(5,295)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, shares				(2)	4											(2)	4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, value	0			$ (47)			47						0			$ (47)	$ 47
Deferred compensation shares and options	304						304						304				304
Other comprehensive income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	0												0
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps	78								78				78						78
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	(18,291)						(18,291)						(18,291)				$ (18,291)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	$ (5)								(5)				(5)						(5)
Other, shares	(1)																(1)
Other, value	$ (1,573)							3		(1,576)			(1,573)					3		(1,576)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2020				36,794	191,151											36,794	191,151
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2020	6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 7,625		8,095,774	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492			6,928,909			$ 891,164	$ 8,103,399	(2,415,500)	(82,646)	432,492
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2020				48,793	191,355											48,793	191,355
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2020	6,948,155			$ 1,182,339	$ 7,633		8,192,507	(2,774,182)	(75,099)	414,957			6,948,155			$ 1,182,339	$ 8,200,140	(2,774,182)	(75,099)	414,957
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	85,062							85,062					88,927					88,927
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(3,865)												(3,865)					(3,865)
Net income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	14,505									14,505			14,505							14,505
Dividends on common shares	(202,989)							(202,989)
Distributions to Vornado													(202,989)					(202,989)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(32,934)							(32,934)					(32,934)					(32,934)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					199												199
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	8,309				$ 8		8,301						8,309				$ 8,309
Under employees' share option plan, shares					0
Under employees' share option plan, value	10						10						10				$ 10
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					10												10
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	430						430						430				$ 430
Contributions:
Contributions	1,547									1,547			1,547							1,547
Distributions:
Distributions	(145,057)									(145,057)			(145,057)							(145,057)
Deferred compensation shares and options, shares					(3)												(3)
Deferred compensation shares and options	335						449	(114)					335				$ 449	(114)
Other comprehensive income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	5,059								5,059				5,059						5,059
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps	20,193								20,193				20,193						20,193
Unearned Out-Performance Plan awards acceleration	10,283						10,283						10,283				10,283
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	(142,948)						(142,948)						(142,948)				(142,948)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(1,590)								(1,590)				(1,590)						(1,590)
Other, value	(53)			$ (48)			1	(4)		(2)			(53)			$ (48)	$ 1	(4)		(2)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2021				48,793	191,561											48,793	191,561
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2021	6,568,317			$ 1,182,291	$ 7,641		8,069,033	(2,925,161)	(51,437)	285,950			6,568,317			$ 1,182,291	$ 8,076,674	(2,925,161)	(51,437)	285,950
Beginning balance, shares at Mar. 31, 2021				48,793	191,465											48,793	191,465
Beginning balance, value at Mar. 31, 2021	6,753,185			$ 1,182,311	$ 7,638		8,080,392	(2,871,681)	(60,753)	415,278			6,753,185			$ 1,182,311	$ 8,088,030	(2,871,681)	(60,753)	415,278
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	64,512							64,512					68,048					68,048
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(3,536)												(3,536)					(3,536)
Net income attributable to nonredeemable noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	8,308									8,308			8,308							8,308
Dividends on common shares	(101,522)							(101,522)
Distributions to Vornado													(101,522)					(101,522)
Distributions to preferred shareholders / unitholders (see Note 13 for distributions per unit amounts)	(16,467)							(16,467)					(16,467)					(16,467)
Common shares issued: / Class A Units issued to Vornado
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, shares					92												92
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, value	4,206				$ 4		4,202						4,206				$ 4,206
Under employees' share option plan, value	6						6						6				$ 6
Under dividend reinvestment plan, shares					4												4
Under dividend reinvestment plan, value	219						219						219				$ 219
Contributions:
Contributions	1,547									1,547			1,547							1,547
Distributions:
Distributions	(139,180)									(139,180)			(139,180)							(139,180)
Deferred compensation shares and options	225						225						225				225
Other comprehensive income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	1,468								1,468				1,468						1,468
Increase (reduction) in value of interest rate swaps	8,551								8,551				8,551						8,551
Redeemable Class A unit measurement adjustment	(16,012)						(16,012)						(16,012)				$ (16,012)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(704)								(704)				(704)						(704)
Other, value	(25)			$ (20)	$ (1)		1	(3)	1	(3)			(25)			$ (20)		(3)		(3)
Ending balance, shares at Jun. 30, 2021				48,793	191,561											48,793	191,561
Ending balance, value at Jun. 30, 2021	$ 6,568,317			$ 1,182,291	$ 7,641		$ 8,069,033	$ (2,925,161)	$ (51,437)	$ 285,950			$ 6,568,317			$ 1,182,291	$ 8,076,674	$ (2,925,161)	$ (51,437)	$ 285,950