Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 513,869	$ 484,625	$ 1,424,323	$ 1,371,822
Expenses:
Cost of sales	360,302	338,116	987,343	928,933
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	87,549	82,682	262,961	249,654
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)	0	4,104	(1,944)	5,791
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	66,018	59,723	175,963	187,444
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(51,084)	(43,234)	(145,452)	(136,146)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	10,005	9,437	31,289	26,142
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	(34,110)
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	294	(47)	(8,378)	26,357
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	3,230	(303)	9,205	(2,823)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net gain (loss) recognized on equity securities	(797)	0	(306)	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	2,048	1,374	4,761	3,452
Income before provision for income taxes	29,714	26,950	67,082	70,316
Income tax benefit (expense)	(14,686)	(6,472)	(29,394)	(22,517)
Net income	15,028	20,478	37,688	47,799
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,026)	(1,214)	(657)	(5,951)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,002	19,264	37,031	41,848
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,026)	(1,214)	(657)	(5,951)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,320	19,908	37,918	41,131
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(119)	(119)	(358)	(358)
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	(119)	(119)	(358)	(358)
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)		0	0	0
Management fee expense	(2,878)	(2,767)	(8,632)	(8,301)
Operating income	2,878	2,767	8,632	8,301
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	(50,102)	(38,291)	(136,615)	(136,570)
Net gain (loss) recognized on equity securities	0		0
Management fee income	(2,878)	(2,767)	(8,632)	(8,301)
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(50,102)	(38,291)	(136,615)	(136,570)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(50,102)	(38,291)	(136,615)	(136,570)
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(50,102)	(38,291)	(136,615)	(136,570)
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(50,249)	(38,491)	(137,046)	(135,119)
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
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	8,915	7,815	26,331	26,046
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)		0	0	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	(8,915)	(7,815)	(26,331)	(26,046)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(50,317)	(42,420)	(143,286)	(133,650)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	10,005	9,437	31,289	26,142
Loss on extinguishment of debt				(34,110)
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	3,230	(296)	9,205	(2,787)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	50,102	38,291	136,615	136,570
Net gain (loss) recognized on equity securities	1,086		3,443
Management fee income	2,878	2,767	8,632	8,301
Other, net	763	496	1,251	944
Income before provision for income taxes	8,832	460	20,818	(24,636)
Income tax benefit (expense)	3,170	18,804	16,213	66,484
Net income	12,002	19,264	37,031	41,848
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,002	19,264	37,031	41,848
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	12,320	19,908	37,918	41,131
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	302,128	293,884	844,316	823,754
Expenses:
Cost of sales	219,769	207,800	597,492	570,461
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	16,497	18,379	49,342	55,068
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)		4,104	525	5,791
Management fee expense	2,878	2,767	8,632	8,301
Operating income	62,984	60,834	188,325	184,133
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(760)	(804)	(2,103)	(2,474)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	0	(7)	0	(36)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net gain (loss) recognized on equity securities	(1,883)		(3,749)
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	943	561	2,490	1,510
Income before provision for income taxes	61,284	60,584	184,963	183,133
Income tax benefit (expense)	(15,885)	(23,895)	(47,433)	(71,300)
Net income	45,399	36,689	137,530	111,833
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	45,399	36,689	137,530	111,833
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	45,546	36,889	137,961	110,382
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	211,860	190,860	580,365	548,426
Expenses:
Cost of sales	140,533	130,316	389,851	358,472
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	62,256	56,607	187,646	168,898
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)		0	(2,469)	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	9,071	3,937	5,337	21,056
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(7)	(10)	(63)	(22)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt				0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	294	(47)	(8,378)	26,357
Equity in earnings (losses) from investments	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net gain (loss) recognized on equity securities	0		0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	342	317	1,020	998
Income before provision for income taxes	9,700	4,197	(2,084)	48,389
Income tax benefit (expense)	(1,971)	(1,381)	1,826	(17,701)
Net income	7,729	2,816	(258)	30,688
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,026)	(1,214)	(657)	(5,951)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	4,703	1,602	(915)	24,737
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	(3,026)	(1,214)	(657)	(5,951)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 4,703	$ 1,602	$ (915)	$ 24,737