| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | Pay vs. Performance Disclosures (1)(2) Year Summary Compensation Table Total Compensation Actually Paid for PEO (3) ($) Average Summary Average Compensation Actually Paid for Non-PEO NEOs (4) ($) Value of Fixed $100 Investment Based On: RE Adjusted Funds from Operations (“RE AFFO”) per Share (7) ($) W. P. Carey Total Shareholder Return (5) ($) MSCI US REIT Index Total Shareholder Return (6) ($) Net 2022 9,405,063 16,628,053 3,240,587 5,044,873 116.07 99.82 598,482,000 5.20 2021 10,103,384 13,913,308 3,448,110 4,514,778 115.52 132.23 410,122,000 4.89 2020 7,405,905 4,593,269 2,607,968 1,808,871 94.01 92.43 465,955,000 4.60 | | |
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote [Text Block] | In accordance with the transitional relief under the SEC rules, only three years of information is required as this is our first year of disclosure under Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. Our principal executive officer (“PEO”) for FY2020 through FY2022 was Jason E. Fox. Our other, non-PEO, NEOs for FY2020 through FY2022 for whom the Summary Compensation Table total average compensation and other amounts are presented were ToniAnn Sanzone, John J. Park, Gino M. Sabatini and Brooks G. Gordon. | | |
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 9,405,063 | $ 10,103,384 | $ 7,405,905 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 16,628,053 | 13,913,308 | 4,593,269 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | Equity compensation fair value calculated based on assumptions determined in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. No adjustments were made to Summary Compensation Table disclosed compensation values pursuant to any defined benefit or actuarial pension plans. 3. The following table sets forth the adjustments made during each year represented in the Pay Versus Performance Table to arrive at compensation “actually paid” to our PEO during each of the years in question. No adjustments were made pursuant to defined benefit or actuarial pension plans and such line items have been excluded from the table below: PEO “Compensation Actually Paid” Calculation Detail Compensation Element 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table Reported Total Compensation 9,405,063 10,103,384 7,405,905 Aggregate Summary Compensation Table Reported Equity Compensation (-) (6,478,409) (7,069,384) (5,152,790) Year-End Fair Value of Awards Granted During the FY & Outstanding (+) 8,674,562 8,905,432 4,087,902 Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Awards Granted During Prior FY & Outstanding (+/-) 4,714,073 1,478,086 (2,262,027) Vesting Date Fair Value of Awards Granted & Vested During the Covered FY (+) — — — Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Awards Granted During Prior FY & Vesting During Covered FY (+/-) (498,000) (61,131) 182,477 Prior FYE Value of Awards Determined to Fail to Meet Vesting Conditions During Covered FY (-) — — — Value of Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Stock Awards Not Otherwise Included (+) 810,764 556,921 331,802 “Compensation Actually Paid” Determination 16,628,053 13,913,308 4,593,269 | | |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 3,240,587 | 3,448,110 | 2,607,968 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 5,044,873 | 4,514,778 | 1,808,871 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | The following table sets forth the adjustments made during each year represented in the Pay Versus Performance Table to arrive at compensation “actually paid” to our non-PEO NEOs during each of the years in question: Average Non-PEO NEO “Compensation Actually Paid” Calculation Detail Compensation Element 2022 2021 2020 Summary Compensation Table Reported Total Compensation 3,240,587 3,448,110 2,607,968 Aggregate Summary Compensation Table Reported Equity Compensation (-) (1,558,918) (1,769,184) (1,354,093) Year-End Fair Value of Awards Granted During the FY & Outstanding (+) 2,087,359 2,228,299 1,077,393 Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Awards Granted During Prior FY & Outstanding (+/-) 1,183,777 421,031 (781,946) Vesting Date Fair Value of Awards Granted & Vested During the Covered FY (+) — — — Year-Over-Year Change in Fair Value of Awards Granted During Prior FY & Vesting During Covered FY (+/-) (141,646) (24,085) 85,207 Prior FYE Value of Awards Determined to Fail to Meet Vesting Conditions During Covered FY (-) — — — Value of Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Stock Awards Not Otherwise Included (+) 233,714 210,607 174,342 “Compensation Actually Paid” Determination 5,044,873 4,514,778 1,808,871 | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs. TSR | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure [Text Block] | Compensation Actually Paid vs. RE AFFO (1) per Share 1. See Appendix A for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. | | |
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | Performance Metric Tabular Disclosure (1) RE Adjusted Funds from Operations (“RE AFFO”) per Share Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA Cash Interest Expense Coverage Ratio | | |
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 116.07 | 115.52 | 94.01 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 99.82 | 132.23 | 92.43 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 598,482,000 | $ 410,122,000 | $ 465,955,000 |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 5.20 | 4.89 | 4.60 |
| PEO Name | Jason E. Fox | | |
| Additional 402(v) Disclosure [Text Block] | W. P. Carey total shareholder return calculated based on an assumed $100 investment as of December 31, 2019 and the reinvestment of any issued dividends. 6. Peer total shareholder return calculated for the MSCI US REIT Index based on an assumed $100 investment as of December 31, 2019 and the reinvestment of any issued dividends. 7. See Appendix A for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures in our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. | | |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Measure Name | RE Adjusted Funds from Operations (“RE AFFO”) per Share | | |
| Non-GAAP Measure Description [Text Block] | Our Compensation Committee reviews a variety of Company-wide and individual factors to link executive compensation actually paid with Company and executive performance. To promote strong pay-for-performance orientation, when setting executive pay levels, the Compensation Committee considers the Company's absolute and relative total shareholder return, short- and long-term business outlook, including RE AFFO (7) per share and the broader market environment. The following section provides a description of the relationships between W. P. Carey’s total shareholder return relative to a peer comparator index, as well as compensation actually paid relative to W. P. Carey’s total shareholder return, net income, and RE AFFO (7) | | |
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Measure Name | Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) | | |
| Measure [Axis]: 3 | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Measure Name | Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA | | |
| Measure [Axis]: 4 | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Measure Name | Cash Interest Expense Coverage Ratio | | |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards Reported Value [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ (6,478,409) | $ (7,069,384) | $ (5,152,790) |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Unvested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 8,674,562 | 8,905,432 | 4,087,902 |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Unvested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 4,714,073 | 1,478,086 | (2,262,027) |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Vested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Vested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (498,000) | (61,131) | 182,477 |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PEO [Member] | Equity Awards, Value of Dividends and Other Earnings Paid Adjustment [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 810,764 | 556,921 | 331,802 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards Reported Value [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,558,918) | (1,769,184) | (1,354,093) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Unvested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 2,087,359 | 2,228,299 | 1,077,393 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Unvested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 1,183,777 | 421,031 | (781,946) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Vested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Vested [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (141,646) | (24,085) | 85,207 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Equity Awards, Value of Dividends and Other Earnings Paid Adjustment [Member] | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 233,714 | $ 210,607 | $ 174,342 |
