Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Schedule of prior period revisions) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Other assets			$ 21,120
Total assets	$ 1,228,789		1,280,615
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	864,554		856,108
Total liabilities	1,382,649		1,402,776
Total stockholders' equity	(153,860)		(122,161)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,228,789		1,280,615
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	79,828	$ 74,181
Operating income (loss)	62,159	43,718
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments	(1,671)	612
Other, net	1,047	1,937
Income before provision for income taxes	35,756	34,348
Income tax expense	14,363	12,867
Net income	21,393	21,481
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	19,338	21,221
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	43	4,982
Comprehensive income	21,436	26,463
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 19,381	26,203
Adoption of Equity Method [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses		74,181
Operating income (loss)		43,718
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments		612
Other, net		1,937
Income before provision for income taxes		34,348
Income tax expense		12,867
Net income		21,481
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		21,221
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		4,982
Comprehensive income		26,463
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		26,203
As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Other assets			51,261
Total assets			1,310,756
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion			886,249
Total liabilities			1,432,917
Total stockholders' equity			(122,161)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency			1,310,756
As Previously Reported | Adoption of Equity Method [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses		73,944
Operating income (loss)		43,955
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments		(37)
Other, net		1,896
Income before provision for income taxes		33,895
Income tax expense		12,679
Net income		21,216
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		20,956
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		1,999
Comprehensive income		23,215
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		22,955
Revision | Adoption of Equity Method [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses		237
Operating income (loss)		(237)
Equity in (losses) earnings from investments		649
Other, net		41
Income before provision for income taxes		453
Income tax expense		188
Net income		265
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		265
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax		2,983
Comprehensive income		3,248
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		$ 3,248
Revision | New Accounting Pronouncement, Early Adoption, Effect [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Other assets			(30,141)
Total assets			(30,141)
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion			(30,141)
Total liabilities			(30,141)
Total stockholders' equity			0
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency			$ (30,141)