Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Schedule of Revisions) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Investment securities available for sale	$ 181,976				$ 269,100				$ 181,976	$ 269,100
Other current assets	38,954				36,404				38,954	36,404
Total current assets	583,739				751,397				583,739	751,397
Long-term investments	62,726				52,723				62,726	52,723
Other assets	51,261				53,902				51,261	53,902
Total assets	1,310,756				1,423,254	$ 1,423,254			1,310,756	1,423,254	$ 1,115,793
Total current liabilities	216,292				212,424				216,292	212,424
Deferred income taxes, net	79,429				95,904				79,429	95,904
Total liabilities	1,432,917				1,443,934				1,432,917	1,443,934
Accumulated deficit	(210,113)				(97,009)				(210,113)	(97,009)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(8,313)				(1,343)				(8,313)	(1,343)	591
Stockholders' deficiency	(206,047)				(99,759)				(206,047)	(99,759)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)	(122,161)				(20,680)				(122,161)	(20,680)	(50,605)	$ (89,070)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,310,756				1,423,254				1,310,756	1,423,254
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									320,221	279,342	113,598
Operating income	31,032	$ 69,367	$ 55,803	$ 43,718	47,136	62,746	$ 60,071	$ 42,485	199,920	212,438	111,186
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments									(2,681)	3,140	3,126
Other, net									6,409	9,396	4,573
Income before provision for income taxes									107,705	82,279	60,720
Income tax expense									41,233	33,165	23,672
Net income									66,472	49,114	37,048
Net income (loss) attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 7,904	12,466	17,607	21,221	12,215	14,190	7,917	2,534	59,198	36,856	37,300
Other comprehensive (loss) income									(12,547)	(3,297)	26,252
Comprehensive income									59,502	47,180	52,642
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									$ 52,228	34,922	52,894
ASU Adoption
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes					0					0
Total current assets					828,654					828,654
Deferred income taxes					0					0
Total assets					1,493,071					1,493,071
Deferred income taxes, net					0					0
Total current liabilities					212,424					212,424
Deferred income taxes, net					122,989					122,989
Total liabilities					1,471,019					1,471,019
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					22,052					22,052
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					1,493,071					1,493,071
ASU Adoption | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes					29,192					29,192
Total current assets					857,846					857,846
Deferred income taxes					51,129					51,129
Total assets					1,573,392					1,573,392
Deferred income taxes, net					57,671					57,671
Total current liabilities					270,095					270,095
Deferred income taxes, net					145,639					145,639
Total liabilities					1,551,340					1,551,340
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					22,052					22,052
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					1,573,392					1,573,392
ASU Adoption | Revision
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes					(29,192)					(29,192)
Total current assets					(29,192)					(29,192)
Deferred income taxes					(51,129)					(51,129)
Total assets					(80,321)					(80,321)
Deferred income taxes, net					(29,192)					(29,192)
Total current liabilities					(29,192)					(29,192)
Deferred income taxes, net					(51,129)					(51,129)
Total liabilities					(80,321)					(80,321)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					(80,321)					(80,321)
Accounting Standards Update 2015-17 [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Deferred income taxes					0					0
Total current assets					0					0
Deferred income taxes					0					0
Total assets					0					0
Deferred income taxes, net					(28,479)					(28,479)
Total current liabilities					(28,479)					(28,479)
Deferred income taxes, net					28,479					28,479
Total liabilities					0					0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					0					0
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					0					0
Adoption of Equity Method [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Investment securities available for sale					269,100					269,100
Other current assets					36,404					36,404
Total current assets					751,397					751,397
Long-term investments					52,723					52,723
Other assets					53,902					53,902
Total assets					1,423,254					1,423,254
Deferred income taxes, net					95,904					95,904
Total liabilities					1,443,934					1,443,934
Accumulated deficit					(97,009)					(97,009)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss					(1,343)					(1,343)
Stockholders' deficiency					(99,759)					(99,759)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					(20,680)					(20,680)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					1,423,254					1,423,254
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses										279,342	113,598
Operating income		(238)	(237)	(237)		(238)	(237)	(237)		212,438	111,186
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments										3,140	3,126
Other, net										9,396	4,573
Income before provision for income taxes										82,279	60,720
Income tax expense										33,165	23,672
Net income										49,114	37,048
Net income (loss) attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		$ 261	$ (261)	$ 265		$ (689)	$ (8)	$ (46)		36,856	37,300
Other comprehensive (loss) income										(1,934)	15,594
Comprehensive income										47,180	52,642
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.										34,922	52,894
Adoption of Equity Method [Member] | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Investment securities available for sale					346,043					346,043
Other current assets					36,718					36,718
Total current assets					828,654					828,654
Long-term investments					40,292					40,292
Other assets					58,893					58,893
Total assets					1,493,071					1,493,071
Deferred income taxes, net					122,989					122,989
Total liabilities					1,471,019					1,471,019
Accumulated deficit					(90,160)					(90,160)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss					34,540					34,540
Stockholders' deficiency					(57,027)					(57,027)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					22,052					22,052
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					1,493,071					1,493,071
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses										278,392	112,748
Operating income										213,388	112,036
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments										1,242	2,066
Other, net										10,552	7,550
Income before provision for income taxes										82,487	63,487
Income tax expense										33,251	24,795
Net income										49,236	38,692
Net income (loss) attributed to Vector Group Ltd.										36,978	38,944
Other comprehensive (loss) income										11,680	33,128
Comprehensive income										60,916	71,820
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.										48,658	72,072
Adoption of Equity Method [Member] | Revision
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Investment securities available for sale					(76,943)					(76,943)
Other current assets					(314)					(314)
Total current assets					(77,257)					(77,257)
Long-term investments					12,431					12,431
Other assets					(4,991)					(4,991)
Total assets					(69,817)					(69,817)
Deferred income taxes, net					(27,085)					(27,085)
Total liabilities					(27,085)					(27,085)
Accumulated deficit					(6,849)					(6,849)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss					(35,883)					(35,883)
Stockholders' deficiency					(42,732)					(42,732)
Total stockholders’ equity (deficiency)					(42,732)					(42,732)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency					$ (69,817)					(69,817)
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses										950	850
Operating income										(950)	(850)
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments										1,898	1,060
Other, net										(1,156)	(2,977)
Income before provision for income taxes										(208)	(2,767)
Income tax expense										(86)	(1,123)
Net income										(122)	(1,644)
Net income (loss) attributed to Vector Group Ltd.										(122)	(1,644)
Other comprehensive (loss) income										(13,614)	(17,534)
Comprehensive income										(13,736)	(19,178)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.										$ (13,736)	$ (19,178)