Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Statements of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 449,934	$ 419,876	$ 1,226,867	$ 1,173,725
Expenses:
Cost of sales	295,917	287,236	817,139	805,555
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	79,114	69,431	232,737	200,431
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	3,750	225	5,843	1,725
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expenses	1,548	0	1,548	0
Operating income	69,605	62,984	169,600	166,014
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(32,898)	(44,034)	(96,405)	(123,670)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	7,044	7,127	18,760	7,447
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion	0	(994)	0	(5,112)
Equity (loss) income from real estate ventures	(916)	3,258	1,278	3,002
Equity (loss) income from investments	(579)	829	(2,273)	1,462
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	(821)	33	12,018	(38)
Impairment of investment securities available for sale	(12,211)	0	(12,211)	0
Provision for loss on real estate held for sale			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	133	2,466	3,554	8,167
Income before provision for income taxes	29,357	31,669	94,321	57,272
Income tax benefit (expense)	(13,508)	(11,964)	(37,551)	(21,007)
Net income	15,849	19,705	56,770	36,265
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,644)	(4,826)	(5,741)	(10,881)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,205	14,879	51,029	25,384
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,644)	(4,826)	(5,741)	(10,881)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(11,685)	23,894	26,357	41,218
Parent/Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	6,372	6,099	20,266	17,315
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expenses	0		0
Operating income	(6,372)	(6,099)	(20,266)	(17,315)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(31,609)	(43,005)	(93,243)	(120,977)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	7,044	7,127	18,760	7,447
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion		(994)		(5,112)
Equity (loss) income from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity (loss) income from investments	(579)	829	(2,273)	1,462
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	(821)	33	(1,157)	(38)
Impairment of investment securities available for sale	(4,224)		(4,224)
Provision for loss on real estate held for sale			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	32,335	36,428	104,083	96,554
Management fee income	2,562	2,467	7,687	7,402
Other, net	(61)	1,936	1,859	3,702
Income before provision for income taxes	(1,725)	(1,278)	11,226	(26,875)
Income tax benefit (expense)	13,930	16,157	39,803	52,259
Net income	12,205	14,879	51,029	25,384
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,205	14,879	51,029	25,384
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(11,685)	23,894	26,357	41,218
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	264,480	266,328	748,394	758,645
Expenses:
Cost of sales	174,839	190,794	507,833	544,024
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	20,712	22,395	64,604	66,270
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	3,750	225	5,843	1,725
Management fee expense	2,562	2,467	7,687	7,402
Restructuring expenses	1,548		1,548
Operating income	61,069	50,447	160,879	139,224
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(1,288)	(1,026)	(3,158)	(3,265)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion		0		0
Equity (loss) income from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity (loss) income from investments	0	0	0	0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	0	0	13,175	0
Impairment of investment securities available for sale	(7,987)		(7,987)
Provision for loss on real estate held for sale			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	(111)	296	409	780
Income before provision for income taxes	51,683	49,717	163,318	136,739
Income tax benefit (expense)	(24,043)	(21,491)	(69,450)	(57,846)
Net income	27,640	28,226	93,868	78,893
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	27,640	28,226	93,868	78,893
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	18,484	28,367	84,073	79,026
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	185,563	153,748	478,841	415,280
Expenses:
Cost of sales	121,078	96,442	309,306	261,531
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	52,139	41,137	148,235	117,046
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Restructuring expenses	0		0
Operating income	12,346	16,169	21,300	36,703
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(1)	(3)	(4)	(40)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion		0		0
Equity (loss) income from real estate ventures	(916)	3,258	1,278	3,002
Equity (loss) income from investments	0	0	0	0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	0	0	0	0
Impairment of investment securities available for sale	0		0
Provision for loss on real estate held for sale			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	305	234	1,286	4,297
Income before provision for income taxes	11,734	19,658	23,860	43,962
Income tax benefit (expense)	(3,395)	(6,630)	(7,904)	(15,420)
Net income	8,339	13,028	15,956	28,542
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,644)	(4,826)	(5,741)	(10,881)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	4,695	8,202	10,215	17,661
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,644)	(4,826)	(5,741)	(10,881)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	4,695	8,202	10,215	17,661
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(109)	(200)	(368)	(200)
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	(109)	(200)	(368)	(200)
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	0
Management fee expense	(2,562)	(2,467)	(7,687)	(7,402)
Restructuring expenses	0		0
Operating income	2,562	2,467	7,687	7,402
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	0	0	0	612
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Acceleration of interest expense related to debt conversion		0		0
Equity (loss) income from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity (loss) income from investments	0	0	0	0
(Loss) gain on sale of investment securities available for sale	0	0	0	0
Impairment of investment securities available for sale	0		0
Provision for loss on real estate held for sale			0
Equity income in consolidated subsidiaries	(32,335)	(36,428)	(104,083)	(96,554)
Management fee income	(2,562)	(2,467)	(7,687)	(7,402)
Other, net	0	0	0	(612)
Income before provision for income taxes	(32,335)	(36,428)	(104,083)	(96,554)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(32,335)	(36,428)	(104,083)	(96,554)
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(32,335)	(36,428)	(104,083)	(96,554)
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ (23,179)	$ (36,569)	$ (94,288)	$ (96,687)