Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 538,432	$ 481,488	$ 959,356	$ 910,454
Expenses:
Cost of sales	368,174	332,766	654,194	627,041
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	93,359	86,336	185,673	175,412
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	655	525	655	(1,944)
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	76,244	61,861	118,834	109,945
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(32,753)	(48,421)	(70,273)	(94,368)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	3,788	10,717	14,137	21,284
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	6,391	(2,112)	3,952	(8,672)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	3,096	9,711	11,898	9,179
Income before provision for income taxes	56,766	31,756	78,548	37,368
Income tax benefit (expense)	(17,459)	(12,760)	(24,208)	(14,708)
Net income	39,307	18,996	54,340	22,660
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(1,178)	(80)	2,369
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	39,307	17,818	54,260	25,029
Comprehensive loss (income) attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(1,178)	(80)	2,369
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	39,912	18,137	55,446	25,598
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(120)	(120)	(239)	(239)
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	(120)	(120)	(239)	(239)
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	0
Management fee expense	(2,992)	(2,877)	(5,985)	(5,754)
Operating income	2,992	2,877	5,985	5,754
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	224	0	448	0
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	(81,301)	(52,092)	(106,152)	(86,513)
Management fee income	(2,992)	(2,877)	(5,985)	(5,754)
Other, net	0	0	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(81,077)	(52,092)	(105,704)	(86,513)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(81,077)	(52,092)	(105,704)	(86,513)
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(81,077)	(52,092)	(105,704)	(86,513)
Comprehensive loss (income) attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(81,311)	(52,238)	(106,173)	(86,797)
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	9,515	8,320	19,346	17,416
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	(9,515)	(8,320)	(19,346)	(17,416)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(31,706)	(47,738)	(68,254)	(92,969)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	3,788	10,717	14,137	21,284
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	66,163	52,092	101,428	86,513
Management fee income	2,992	2,877	5,985	5,754
Other, net	2,017	6,065	9,962	8,820
Income before provision for income taxes	33,739	15,693	43,912	11,986
Income tax benefit (expense)	5,568	2,125	10,348	13,043
Net income	39,307	17,818	54,260	25,029
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	39,307	17,818	54,260	25,029
Comprehensive loss (income) attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	39,912	18,137	55,446	25,598
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	294,621	274,953	551,496	542,188
Expenses:
Cost of sales	204,461	192,761	381,764	377,723
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	18,167	16,570	34,858	32,845
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	655	525	655	525
Management fee expense	2,992	2,877	5,985	5,754
Operating income	68,346	62,220	128,234	125,341
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(1,043)	(676)	(2,010)	(1,343)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	15,138	0	4,724
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	447	3,310	600	(319)
Income before provision for income taxes	82,888	64,854	131,548	123,679
Income tax benefit (expense)	(17,118)	(15,688)	(32,066)	(31,548)
Net income	65,770	49,166	99,482	92,131
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	65,770	49,166	99,482	92,131
Comprehensive loss (income) attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	66,004	49,312	99,951	92,415
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	243,931	206,655	408,099	368,505
Expenses:
Cost of sales	163,713	140,005	272,430	249,318
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	65,797	61,566	131,708	125,390
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0	0	0	(2,469)
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	14,421	5,084	3,961	(3,734)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(228)	(7)	(457)	(56)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	6,391	(2,112)	3,952	(8,672)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	632	336	1,336	678
Income before provision for income taxes	21,216	3,301	8,792	(11,784)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(5,909)	803	(2,490)	3,797
Net income	15,307	4,104	6,302	(7,987)
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(1,178)	(80)	2,369
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	15,307	2,926	6,222	(5,618)
Comprehensive loss (income) attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(1,178)	(80)	2,369
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 15,307	$ 2,926	$ 6,222	$ (5,618)