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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details Textuals) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2011 Percent Accounts | Sep. 30, 2011 Accounts Percent
Troubled Debt Restructuring, Debtor, Current Period [Line Items] |  |
Outstanding balance of cardmember loans and receivables modified through settlement programs | $ 5.8 | $ 5.8
Reserve on the outanding balance of cardmember loans and receivables modified through settlement programs | 3.7 | 3.7
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Loans [Member] |  |
Troubled Debt Restructuring, Debtor, Current Period [Line Items] |  |
Average interest rate reductions by class of cardmember loans | 12.00% | 12.00%
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Receivables [Member] |  |
Troubled Debt Restructuring, Debtor, Current Period [Line Items] |  |
Average payment term extension | 15 |
U S Card Services [Member] |  |
Troubled Debt Restructuring, Debtor, Current Period [Line Items] |  |
Estimated reduction in interest income due to modification | $ 2 | $ 17

X
- Definition The average interest rate reduction by class of cardmember loan. + Details
Name: | axp_AverageInterestRateReductionByClassOfCardmemberLoan
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The average period for payment term extension for U.S. Card Services. + Details
Name: | axp_AveragePaymentTermExtension
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of the outstanding recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified through settlement programs. + Details
Name: | axp_FinancingreceivableModifiedThroughSettlementProgramRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The amount of reserve on the outstanding recorded investment related to financing receivables that have been modified through settlement programs. + Details
Name: | axp_FinancingReceivableModifiedThroughSettlementProgramReserve
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the estimated reduction in interest income due to modification in a troubled debt restructuring. + Details
Name: | axp_InterestIncomeReductionDueToModification
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_TroubledDebtRestructuringDebtorCurrentPeriodLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration