Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 540,363		$ 371,341
Investment securities at fair value	88,643		129,641
Accounts receivable - trade, net	32,760		36,959
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	98,609		98,762
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	38,363		44,911
Total current assets	798,738		681,614
Property, plant and equipment, net	77,617		82,160
Investments in real estate, net	28,876		28,317
Long-term investment securities at fair value	33,232		45,781
Investments in real estate ventures	115,377		131,556
Operating lease right-of-use assets	148,662		149,578
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	207,659		265,993
Other assets	121,586		120,090
Total assets	1,531,747		1,505,089
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	8,853		209,269
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0		4,999
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	36,831		5,138
Current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	102,125		34,116
Current operating lease liability	18,268		18,294
Other current liabilities	332,034		189,317
Total current liabilities	498,111		461,133
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,398,194		1,397,216
Non-current employee benefits	61,025		67,853
Deferred income taxes, net	12,438		33,695
Non-current operating lease liability	159,296		156,963
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	71,887		73,245
Total liabilities	2,200,951		2,190,105
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(669,204)		(685,464)
Non-controlling interest	0		448
Total stockholders' deficiency	(669,204)	$ (718,999)	(685,016)	$ (606,696)	$ (590,101)	$ (547,366)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	1,531,747		1,505,089
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	(45,946)		(44,043)
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	(7,696)		(95)
Other current assets	(475)		0
Total current assets	(54,117)		(44,138)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investment securities at fair value	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0		0
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	(529,772)		(658,393)
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total assets	(583,889)		(702,531)
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	(8,750)		(10,000)
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Intercompany payables	(45,946)		(44,043)
Income taxes payable, net	(7,696)		(95)
Current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	0		0
Other current liabilities	(218)		(897)
Total current liabilities	(62,610)		(55,035)
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	(18,750)		(20,000)
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	0		0
Non-current operating lease liability	0		0
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	(1,317)		(3,147)
Total liabilities	(82,677)		(78,182)
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(501,212)		(624,349)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(501,212)		(624,349)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	(583,889)		(702,531)
Parent/Issuer
Current liabilities:
Current operating lease liability			508
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	261,167		272,282
Investment securities at fair value	88,643		129,641
Accounts receivable - trade, net	0		0
Intercompany receivables	45,946		44,043
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	2,560		9,159
Total current assets	398,316		455,125
Property, plant and equipment, net	413		425
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investment securities at fair value	33,232		45,781
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	6,521		7,085
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	365,814		420,353
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0		0
Other assets	30,250		31,022
Total assets	834,546		959,791
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	0		163,932
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			4,999
Intercompany payables	0		0
Income taxes payable, net	37,394		2,398
Current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	754
Other current liabilities	45,267		52,065
Total current liabilities	83,415		223,902
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	1,378,871		1,377,108
Non-current employee benefits	51,599		50,806
Deferred income taxes, net	(17,310)		(14,492)
Non-current operating lease liability	6,787		7,558
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	388		373
Total liabilities	1,503,750		1,645,255
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	(669,204)		(685,464)
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	(669,204)		(685,464)
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	834,546		959,791
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	217,748		27,178
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	13,222		15,646
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	98,609		98,762
Income taxes receivable, net	0		0
Other current assets	8,069		9,021
Total current assets	337,648		150,607
Property, plant and equipment, net	32,245		33,816
Investments in real estate, net	0		0
Long-term investment securities at fair value	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	3,918		4,830
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	163,958		238,040
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	107,511		107,511
Other assets	47,092		46,416
Total assets	692,372		581,220
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	8,816		45,210
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Intercompany payables	167		236
Income taxes payable, net	7,133		2,835
Current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	102,125		34,116
Current operating lease liability	1,694		2,015
Other current liabilities	223,205		78,947
Total current liabilities	343,140		163,359
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	18,827		20,089
Non-current employee benefits	9,426		17,047
Deferred income taxes, net	21,756		22,620
Non-current operating lease liability	2,790		3,402
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	37,724		41,020
Total liabilities	433,663		267,537
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	258,709		313,683
Non-controlling interest	0		0
Total stockholders' deficiency	258,709		313,683
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	692,372		581,220
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	61,448		71,881
Investment securities at fair value	0		0
Accounts receivable - trade, net	19,538		21,313
Intercompany receivables	0		0
Inventories	0		0
Income taxes receivable, net	7,696		95
Other current assets	28,209		26,731
Total current assets	116,891		120,020
Property, plant and equipment, net	44,959		47,919
Investments in real estate, net	28,876		28,317
Long-term investment securities at fair value	0		0
Investments in real estate ventures	115,377		131,556
Operating lease right-of-use assets	138,223		137,663
Investments in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	100,148		158,482
Other assets	44,244		42,652
Total assets	588,718		666,609
Current liabilities:
Current portion of notes payable and long-term debt	8,787		10,127
Current portion of fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt			0
Intercompany payables	45,779		43,807
Income taxes payable, net	0		0
Current payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	0		0
Current operating lease liability	15,820		15,771
Other current liabilities	63,780		59,202
Total current liabilities	134,166		128,907
Notes payable, long-term debt and other obligations, less current portion	19,246		20,019
Non-current employee benefits	0		0
Deferred income taxes, net	7,992		25,567
Non-current operating lease liability	149,719		146,003
Other liabilities, primarily litigation accruals and payments due under the Master Settlement Agreement	35,092		34,999
Total liabilities	346,215		355,495
Commitments and contingencies
Total Vector Group Ltd. stockholders' deficiency	242,503		310,666
Non-controlling interest	0		448
Total stockholders' deficiency	242,503		311,114
Total liabilities and stockholders' deficiency	$ 588,718		$ 666,609