Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 439,565	$ 504,790	$ 538,432	$ 420,924	$ 445,939	$ 513,869	$ 481,488	$ 428,966	$ 1,903,711	$ 1,870,262	$ 1,807,476
Expenses:
Cost of sales									1,301,579	1,292,484	1,228,046
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									370,007	355,513	337,191
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)									990	(1,784)	6,591
Management fee expense									0	0	0
Operating income	45,581	66,720	76,244	42,590	48,086	66,018	61,861	48,084	231,135	224,049	235,648
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense									(138,448)	(203,780)	(173,685)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt									26,425	44,989	35,919
Loss on extinguishment of debt									(4,301)	(4,066)	(34,110)
Equity in (losses) earnings from real estate ventures									(19,288)	14,446	21,395
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Management fee income									0	0	0
Other, net									38,305	3,921	4,001
Income before provision for income taxes									133,828	79,559	89,168
Income tax benefit (expense)									(32,813)	(21,552)	1,582
Net income	10,667	36,008	39,307	15,033	20,319	15,028	18,996	3,664	101,015	58,007	90,750
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									(41)	98	(6,178)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 10,706	$ 36,008	$ 39,307	$ 14,953	$ 21,074	$ 12,002	$ 17,818	$ 7,211	100,974	58,105	84,572
Comprehensive (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									(41)	98	(6,178)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									103,845	56,730	83,246
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									(478)	(478)	(478)
Expenses:
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									(478)	(478)	(478)
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)									0	0	0
Management fee expense									(11,971)	(11,509)	(11,069)
Operating income									11,971	11,509	11,069
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense									897	0	0
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings from real estate ventures									0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries									(189,144)	(199,251)	(215,557)
Management fee income									(11,971)	(11,509)	(11,069)
Other, net									(3,157)	0	0
Income before provision for income taxes									(191,404)	(199,251)	(215,557)
Income tax benefit (expense)									0	0	0
Net income									(191,404)	(199,251)	(215,557)
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									(191,404)	(199,251)	(215,557)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									(192,829)	(195,820)	(199,187)
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									0	0	0
Expenses:
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									38,051	35,332	34,790
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)									0	0	0
Management fee expense									0	0	0
Operating income									(38,051)	(35,332)	(34,790)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense									(134,594)	(200,916)	(169,910)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt									26,425	44,989	35,919
Loss on extinguishment of debt									(4,301)	(4,066)	(34,110)
Equity in (losses) earnings from real estate ventures									0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries									182,959	195,582	200,480
Management fee income									11,971	11,509	11,069
Other, net									30,193	3,193	576
Income before provision for income taxes									74,602	14,959	9,234
Income tax benefit (expense)									26,372	43,146	75,338
Net income									100,974	58,105	84,572
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									100,974	58,105	84,572
Comprehensive (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									103,845	56,730	83,246
Subsidiary Guarantors
Other income (expenses):
Loss on extinguishment of debt											0
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									1,115,318	1,111,572	1,080,590
Expenses:
Cost of sales									771,130	787,251	750,768
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									71,001	66,781	74,107
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)									990	685	6,591
Management fee expense									11,971	11,509	11,069
Operating income									260,226	245,346	238,055
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense									(3,838)	(2,797)	(3,740)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings from real estate ventures									0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries									6,185	3,669	15,077
Management fee income									0	0	0
Other, net									5,340	(997)	2,101
Income before provision for income taxes									267,913	245,221	251,493
Income tax benefit (expense)									(65,069)	(60,749)	(73,546)
Net income									202,844	184,472	177,947
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									202,844	184,472	177,947
Comprehensive (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									204,269	181,041	161,577
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors
Other income (expenses):
Loss on extinguishment of debt											0
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Total revenues									788,871	759,168	727,364
Expenses:
Cost of sales									530,449	505,233	477,278
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses									261,433	253,878	228,772
Litigation settlement and judgment expense (income)									0	(2,469)	0
Management fee expense									0	0	0
Operating income									(3,011)	2,526	21,314
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense									(913)	(67)	(35)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt									0	0	0
Loss on extinguishment of debt									0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings from real estate ventures									(19,288)	14,446	21,395
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Management fee income									0	0	0
Other, net									5,929	1,725	1,324
Income before provision for income taxes									(17,283)	18,630	43,998
Income tax benefit (expense)									5,884	(3,949)	(210)
Net income									(11,399)	14,681	43,788
Net (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									(41)	98	(6,178)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									(11,440)	14,779	37,610
Comprehensive (income) loss attributed to non-controlling interest									(41)	98	(6,178)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.									$ (11,440)	$ 14,779	$ 37,610