Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Schedule of prior period revisions) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other assets	$ 21,985		$ 21,985		$ 21,120
Total assets	1,479,500		1,479,500		1,280,615
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,110,731		1,110,731		856,108
Total liabilities	1,654,936		1,654,936		1,402,776
Total stockholders' equity	(175,436)		(175,436)		(122,161)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,479,500		1,479,500		1,280,615
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	83,922	$ 79,916	163,750	$ 154,097
Operating income (loss)	70,720	55,803	132,879	99,521
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	1,089	(2,163)	(582)	(1,551)
Other, net	581	1,821	1,628	3,758
Income before provision for income taxes	46,340	30,622	82,096	64,970
Income tax expense	19,003	11,178	33,366	24,045
Net income	27,337	19,444	48,730	40,925
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	24,015	17,607	43,353	38,828
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	(269)	227	(226)	5,209
Comprehensive income	27,068	19,671	48,504	46,134
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 23,746	17,834	$ 43,127	44,037
As Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [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
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses		79,679		153,623
Operating income (loss)		56,040		99,995
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments		(1,657)		(1,694)
Other, net		1,525		3,421
Income before provision for income taxes		31,069		64,964
Income tax expense		11,364		24,043
Net income		19,705		40,921
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		17,868		38,824
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax		(2,781)		(782)
Comprehensive income		16,924		40,139
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		15,087		38,042
Revision | Adoption of Equity Method
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses		237		474
Operating income (loss)		(237)		(474)
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments		(506)		143
Other, net		296		337
Income before provision for income taxes		(447)		6
Income tax expense		(186)		2
Net income		(261)		4
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		(261)		4
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax		3,008		5,991
Comprehensive income		2,747		5,995
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.		$ 2,747		$ 5,995
Revision | ASU 2015-03
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [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)