Document and Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Jun. 15, 2020
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	Viad Corp
Entity Central Index Key	0000884219
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2020
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2020
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity File Number	001-11015
Entity Tax Identification Number	36-1169950
Entity Address, Address Line One	1850 North Central Avenue
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 1900
Entity Address, City or Town	Phoenix
Entity Address, State or Province	AZ
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	85004-4565
City Area Code	602
Local Phone Number	207-1000
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		20,408,428
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Common Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
Trading Symbol	VVI
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $1.50 Par Value
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Junior Participating Preferred Stock
Document Information [Line Items]
No Trading Symbol Flag	true
Title of 12(b) Security	Junior Participating Preferred Stock, par value $0.01 per share