Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Net income attributable to Taubman Centers, Inc. common shareowners (Numerator):
Basic	$ 18,590	$ 17,170
Impact of additional ownership of TRG	28	45
Diluted	$ 18,618	$ 17,215
Shares (Denominator) – basic	60,917,235	60,555,466
Effect of dilutive securities	289,142	498,290
Shares (Denominator) – diluted	61,206,377	61,053,756
Earnings per common share – basic	$ 0.31	$ 0.28
Earnings per common share – diluted	$ 0.30	$ 0.28
Weighted average noncontrolling partnership units outstanding
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	4,145,247	4,018,981
Unissued TRG Units under unit option deferral elections
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount	871,262	871,262