XML 95 R67.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.3.0.15

Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details) (USD $) In Millions | Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Sep. 30, 2010
--- | --- | --- | ---
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Cash collateral netting | $ (713) |  |
Other Assets [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 1,790 | 1,089 |
Cash collateral netting |  |  | 0
Derivative asset netting | (13) |  | (18)
Total derivatives, net | 1,064 |  | 1,071
Other Assets [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 1,075 | 909 |
Other Assets [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Total Return Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 110 |  | 0
Other Assets [Member] | Cash flow hedges [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 0 | 2 |
Other Assets [Member] | Net investment hedges [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 468 | 66 |
Other Assets [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 1 | 3 |
Other Assets [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 136 | 109 |
Other Assets [Member] | Equity-linked contract [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 0 | 0 |
Other Assets [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 1,653 | 977 |
Other Assets [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives assets | 137 | 112 |
Other Liabilities [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 221 | 419 |
Cash collateral netting | 0 |  | 0
Derivative liability netting | (13) |  | (18)
Total derivatives, net | 208 |  | 401
Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 2 | 38 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Total Return Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 0 |  | 0
Other Liabilities [Member] | Cash flow hedges [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 1 | 13 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Net investment hedges [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 23 | 272 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Interest rate contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 3 | 3 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 189 | 91 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Equity-linked contract [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 3 | 2 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | 26 | 323 |
Other Liabilities [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |
Total fair value of derivatives liabilties | $ 195 | $ 96 |

X
- Definition Represents the netting of cash collateral received and posted under credit support agreements. + Details
Name: | axp_CashCollateralNetting
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the netting of derivative assets under master netting agreements. + Details
Name: | axp_DerivativeAssetNetting
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the netting of derivative liabilities under master netting agreements. + Details
Name: | axp_DerivativeLiabilityNetting
Namespace Prefix: | axp
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value as of the balance sheet date of the gross assets less the gross liabilities of a derivative asset or group of derivative assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6947722&loc=d3e13495-108611 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41228-113958 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41271-113958 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6947722&loc=d3e13433-108611 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeAssetFairValueNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value of derivative asset, presented on a gross basis even when the derivative instrument is subject to master netting arrangements and qualifies for net presentation in the statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4B -Subparagraph (a),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624163-113959 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 44C -Subparagraph a -Clause 1 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 205G -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value of derivative liability, presented on a gross basis even when the derivative instrument is subject to master netting arrangements and qualifies for net presentation in the statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4B -Subparagraph (a),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624163-113959 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 44C -Subparagraph a -Clause 1 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 133 -Paragraph 205G -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration