Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Common stock	Additional paid-in capital	Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings	Distributions in excess of accumulated earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Noncontrolling interest	Noncontrolling interest Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption	$ 6,396,825		$ 7	$ 7,129,571	$ (833,726)		$ (18,446)		$ 119,419
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-01		$ 0				$ 2,234		$ (2,234)
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-05		123,708				119,651				$ 4,057
Balances at Dec. 31, 2017	6,396,825		$ 7	7,129,571	(833,726)		(18,446)		119,419
Balances (ASU 2016-01) at Dec. 31, 2017		0				2,234		(2,234)
Balances (ASU 2017-05) at Dec. 31, 2017		123,708				119,651				4,057
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			66,054
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	413,599				390,153				23,446
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities	13						13
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	0
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	7,824						7,564		260
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net	(118)						(114)		(4)
Issuance of common stock under:
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	6,213			6,213
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			41
Sale of common stock, net	(919)			(919)
Equity based compensation costs	12,851			11,651					1,200
Retirement of common stock, net	(51,233)			(51,233)
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(210)
Cumulative effect upon adoption	$ 6,393,844		$ 7	7,093,079	(812,796)		(13,217)		126,771
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-01		0				2,234		(2,234)
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-05		123,708				119,651				4,057
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-12		181						175		6
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List] | ASU 2016-01	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201601Member
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List] | ASU 2017-05	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201705Member
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	$ (1,164)			(1,143)					(21)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition	7,919								7,919
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(29,233)								(29,233)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest	(1,333)			(1,061)					(272)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			5
Common stock dividends	(491,108)				(491,108)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2018	6,393,844		$ 7	7,093,079	(812,796)		(13,217)		126,771
Balances (ASU 2017-12) at Dec. 31, 2018		181						175		6
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			65,890
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption	6,393,844		$ 7	7,093,079	(812,796)		(13,217)		126,771
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-12		181						175		6
Net income	464,448				439,286				25,162
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities	(32)						(31)		(1)
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	1,824						1,762		62
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	(2,948)						(2,849)		(99)
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net	281						272		9
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	33,779			33,779
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			195
Sale of common stock, net	72,539			72,539
Sale of common stock, net (in shares)			228
Equity based compensation costs	12,283			11,029					1,254
Retirement of common stock, net	(56,989)			(56,989)
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(234)
Cumulative effect upon adoption	$ 6,403,504		$ 7	7,121,927	(887,619)	(190)	(13,888)		183,077
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2017-12		181						$ 175		$ 6
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-13		(190)
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List] | ASU 2017-12	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201712Member
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	$ (2,008)			(3,427)					1,419
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition	65,472								65,472
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(28,493)								(28,493)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest	(36,568)			(28,083)					(8,485)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			13
Common stock dividends	(514,109)				(514,109)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2019	6,403,504		$ 7	7,121,927	(887,619)	(190)	(13,888)		183,077
Balances (ASU 2016-13) at Dec. 31, 2019		(190)
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			66,092
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption	6,403,504		$ 7	7,121,927	(887,619)	(190)	(13,888)		183,077
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-13		(190)
Net income	599,332				568,870				30,462
Reversal of unrealized gains upon the sale of marketable securities	0
Cash flow hedge losses reclassified to earnings	3,338						3,225		113
Change in fair value of derivatives and amortization of swap settlements	(4,148)						(4,007)		(141)
Change in fair value of marketable securities, net	(61)						(59)		(2)
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net	9,201			9,201
Stock option and restricted stock plans, net (in shares)			95
Sale of common stock, net	(296)			(296)
Equity based compensation costs	12,913			12,453					460
Retirement of common stock, net	(269,315)		$ (1)	(269,314)
Retirement of common stock, net (in shares)			(1,197)
Cumulative effect upon adoption	$ 6,403,504		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)	$ (190)	(14,729)		182,782
Cumulative effect upon adoption | ASU 2016-13		$ (190)
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List] | ASU 2016-13	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Changes in the redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	$ 4,299			4,375					(76)
Changes in noncontrolling interest from acquisition	1,349								1,349
Distributions to noncontrolling interest	(31,367)								(31,367)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest	(3,113)			(2,020)					(1,093)
Redemptions of noncontrolling interest (in shares)			9
Common stock dividends	(542,254)				(542,254)
Balances at Dec. 31, 2020	6,183,192		$ 6	6,876,326	(861,193)		(14,729)		182,782
Balances (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			64,999
Issuance of common stock under:
Cumulative effect upon adoption	$ 6,183,192		$ 6	$ 6,876,326	$ (861,193)		$ (14,729)		$ 182,782