-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 eVPienKYzCvWF7DrbKlunw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000004962-03-000100.txt : 20030530
<SEC-HEADER>0000004962-03-000100.hdr.sgml : 20030530
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030530150924
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000004962-03-000100
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030530
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030530

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LINEN JONATHAN S
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001188723

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07657
		FILM NUMBER:		03725722

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BAUSCH & LOMB INC
		STREET 2:		ONE BAUSCH & LOMB PLACE
		CITY:			ROCHESTER
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			14604
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5853385888

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN EXPRESS CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000004962
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FINANCE SERVICES [6199]
		IRS NUMBER:				134922250
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NY
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2126402000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-05-30</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000004962</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN EXPRESS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AXP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001188723</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LINEN JONATHAN S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Member, Global Leadership Team</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>188169.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>8.623</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>663481.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
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      <transactionDate>
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      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
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      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>92553.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>41.355</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>570928.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>47600.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>42.00</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>523328.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>3000.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>42.02</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>520328.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>4400.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>42.05</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>515928.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>20000.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>42.10</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>495928.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-30</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>10000.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>42.12</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>485928.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy) with tandem SAR</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>8.623</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-05-29</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>188169.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1995-02-28</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2004-02-27</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Shares</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>188169.000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>0.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Mr. Linen also owns the following shares indirectly: 23,915 shares held in a GRAT; 9,558 shares held in a second GRAT; and 34,500
 shares held by his spouse.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">As of May 29, 2003, 45,287 shares were held in Mr. Linen's account under the Company's Incentive Savings Plan.  This plan uses unit accounting, and the number of shares that a participant is deemed to hold varies with the unit price of the Company pooled stock fund.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">These options vested in three equal annual installments beginning on the date shown as "Date Exercisable."</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Jonathan  S. Linen</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Jonathan S. Linen</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-05-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
