Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 323,861		$ 584,581
Investment securities at fair value	135,100		131,569
Accounts receivable - trade, net	44,347		34,246
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	96,934		90,997
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	38,251		30,828
Total current assets	638,493		872,221
Property, plant and equipment, net	84,262		86,736
Investments in real estate, net	27,212		26,220
Long-term investments (of which $53,175 and $54,628 were carried at fair value)	63,814		66,259
Investments in real estate ventures	144,766		141,105
Operating lease right of use assets	135,134
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	266,082		266,611
Other assets	95,397		90,352
Total assets	1,455,160		1,549,504
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	250,659		256,134
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	17,287		6,635
Current portion of employee benefits			0
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	8,345		5,252
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	85,651		36,561
Current operating lease liability	20,339
Other current liabilities	175,786		180,338
Total current liabilities	558,067		484,920
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,180,151		1,386,697
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		24,789
Non-current employee benefits	62,101		61,288
Deferred income taxes, net	41,465		37,411
Non-current operating lease liability	139,729
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	80,343		101,765
Total liabilities	2,061,856		2,096,870
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(607,184)		(548,059)
Non-controlling interest	488		693
Total stockholders' deficiency	(606,696)	$ (590,101)	(547,366)	$ (428,719)	$ (394,219)	$ (331,760)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,455,160		1,549,504
Consolidating Adjustments
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	0		0
Intercompany receivables	(41,312)		(38,391)
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	(387)		(1,268)
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(41,699)		(39,659)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments (of which $53,175 and $54,628 were carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right of use assets	0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	(675,111)		(683,401)
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	(716,810)		(723,060)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	(5,000)		0
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Current portion of employee benefits			0
Intercompany payables	(41,312)		(38,391)
Income taxes payable, net	(387)		(1,268)
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	0
Other current liabilities	(448)		0
Total current liabilities	(47,147)		(39,659)
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	(25,000)		0
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	0		0
Non-current operating lease liability	0
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Total liabilities	(72,147)		(39,659)
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(644,663)		(683,401)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(644,663)		(683,401)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	(716,810)		(723,060)
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	174,786		474,880
Investment securities at fair value	135,100		131,569
Accounts receivable - trade, net	0		0
Intercompany receivables	41,312		38,391
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	4,788		1,500
Total current assets	355,986		646,340
Property, plant and equipment, net	404		506
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments (of which $53,175 and $54,628 were carried at fair value)	63,814		66,259
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right of use assets	7,623
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	429,782		431,288
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other assets	15,016		14,616
Total assets	872,625		1,159,009
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	211,712		226,343
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	17,287		6,635
Current portion of employee benefits			0
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	6,008		5,257
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	1,020
Other current liabilities	46,463		55,915
Total current liabilities	282,490		294,150
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,155,001		1,354,219
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			24,789
Non-current employee benefits	46,621		45,615
Deferred income taxes, net	(12,241)		(13,084)
Non-current operating lease liability	7,541
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	397		1,379
Total liabilities	1,479,809		1,707,068
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(607,184)		(548,059)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(607,184)		(548,059)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	872,625		1,159,009
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	69,154		23,308
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	13,616		15,440
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	96,934		90,997
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	6,532		7,599
Total current assets	186,236		137,344
Property, plant and equipment, net	36,799		38,562
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investments (of which $53,175 and $54,628 were carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right of use assets	5,215
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	245,329		252,113
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	107,511		107,511
Other assets	38,966		38,154
Total assets	620,056		573,684
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	38,690		29,480
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Current portion of employee benefits			0
Intercompany payables	197		479
Income taxes payable, net	2,724		1,263
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	85,651		36,561
Current operating lease liability	1,918
Other current liabilities	64,050		73,279
Total current liabilities	193,230		141,062
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	25,143		2,349
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Non-current employee benefits	15,480		15,673
Deferred income taxes, net	20,507		17,732
Non-current operating lease liability	3,901
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	36,806		38,179
Total liabilities	295,067		214,995
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	324,989		358,689
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	324,989		358,689
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	620,056		573,684
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	79,921		86,393
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	30,731		18,806
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	387		1,268
Other current assets	26,931		21,729
Total current assets	137,970		128,196
Property, plant and equipment, net	47,059		47,668
Investments in real estate, net	27,212		26,220
Long-term investments (of which $53,175 and $54,628 were carried at fair value)	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	144,766		141,105
Operating lease right of use assets	122,296
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	158,571		159,100
Other assets	41,415		37,582
Total assets	679,289		539,871
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	5,257		311
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		0
Current portion of employee benefits			0
Intercompany payables	41,115		37,912
Income taxes payable, net	0		0
Litigation accruals and current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	17,401
Other current liabilities	65,721		51,144
Total current liabilities	129,494		89,367
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	25,007		30,129
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	33,199		32,763
Non-current operating lease liability	128,287
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	43,140		62,207
Total liabilities	359,127		214,466
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	319,674		324,712
Non-controlling interest	488		693
Total stockholders' deficiency	320,162		325,405
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	$ 679,289		$ 539,871