Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Total revenue	$ 1,488,615	$ 1,416,554	$ 1,397,186	$ 1,452,834	$ 1,462,027	$ 1,404,021	$ 1,385,059	$ 1,394,182	$ 5,755,189	$ 5,645,288	$ 5,527,336
Operating income before other items	776,876	705,302	680,631	745,021	770,512	722,843	727,983	704,962	2,907,831	2,926,299	2,802,340
Consolidated net income	590,416	628,724	572,102	631,947	833,192	642,212	631,414	715,524	2,423,188	2,822,343	2,244,903
Net Income attributable to common stockholders or unitholders	$ 510,194	$ 544,254	$ 495,324	$ 548,475	$ 712,796	$ 556,267	$ 547,004	$ 620,654	$ 2,098,247	$ 2,436,721	$ 1,944,625
Net income per share - Basic and Diluted	$ 1.66	$ 1.77	$ 1.60	$ 1.78	$ 2.30	$ 1.80	$ 1.77	$ 2.00	$ 6.81	$ 7.87	$ 6.24
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Basic and Diluted	306,868,960	307,275,230	308,708,798	308,978,053	309,293,708	309,294,045	309,355,154	310,583,643	307,950,112	309,627,178	311,517,345
Simon Property Group, L.P.
Total revenue									$ 5,755,189	$ 5,645,288	$ 5,527,336
Operating income before other items									2,907,831	2,926,299	2,802,340
Consolidated net income									2,423,188	2,822,343	2,244,903
Net Income attributable to common stockholders or unitholders	$ 587,931	$ 627,074	$ 570,389	$ 631,551	$ 821,237	$ 640,402	$ 629,822	$ 714,303	$ 2,416,945	$ 2,805,764	$ 2,239,638
Net income per share - Basic and Diluted	$ 1.66	$ 1.77	$ 1.60	$ 1.78	$ 2.30	$ 1.80	$ 1.77	$ 2.00	$ 6.81	$ 7.87	$ 6.24
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding - Basic and Diluted	353,619,579	354,038,110	355,491,396	355,778,250	356,396,387	356,073,080	356,181,817	357,446,988	354,724,019	356,520,452	358,776,632