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Debt (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 59,570 | $ 66,416
Unamortized Underwriting Fees | (106) | (113)
Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 3.69% | 3.48%
Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 10,083 | 10,338
Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Sale Lease Back Transaction Name [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 123 | 132
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2013 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2038 |
Long-term Debt | 9,364 | 9,604
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 6.06% | 6.02%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.90% | 6.83%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 0 | 700
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 5.25%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2017 |
Long-term Debt | 2,149 | 2,166
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 3.32% | 3.31%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.83% | 5.83%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2016 |
Long-term Debt | 14,188 | 12,406
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 2.80% | 3.07%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 4.78% | 5.15%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Federal Savings Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2017 |
Long-term Debt | 3,581 | 7,168
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 3.11% | 2.72%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Federal Savings Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.65% | 4.40%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 0 | 437
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 5.35%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 0 | 500
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 5.63%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 0.47%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | Dec. 31, 2012 |
Long-term Debt | 400 | 400
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.43% | 0.41%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2014 |
Long-term Debt | 2,444 | 2,480
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.24% | 1.51%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Federal Savings Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2017 |
Long-term Debt | 1,100 | 2,750
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Federal Savings Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.47% | 0.92%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2013 |
Long-term Debt | 4,488 | 3,988
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.52% | 0.51%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2018 |
Long-term Debt | 15,065 | 17,516
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.95% | 0.89%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | Dec. 31, 2012 |
Long-term Debt | 72 | 72
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.75% | 0.74%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2012 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2018 |
Long-term Debt | 1,245 | 1,275
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.85% | 0.66%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.80% |
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | Dec. 31, 2036 |
Long-term Debt | 749 | 745
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.80% | 6.80%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2014 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2016 |
Long-term Debt | 4,579 | 4,118
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 6.27% | 5.38%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.38% | 5.33%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 0 | 63
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 5.61%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start | 2014 |
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End | 2022 |
Long-term Debt | 123 | 141
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.74% | 5.64%
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | Dec. 31, 2014 |
Long-term Debt | $ 129 |
Year End Effective Interest Rate With Swaps | 0.00% |
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.66% |

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- Definition Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter, etc.). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 2, 4 -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 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition When presenting a range of maturity dates, the latest date when the outstanding debt instruments are required to be repaid. May be presented in a variety of ways (for example: year only, month and year, day, month and year, and number of years). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 4 -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 SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 129 -Paragraph 2 -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
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- Definition Including current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of long-term borrowings as of the balance sheet date. May include notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, which had initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer, and after deducting unamortized discount or premiums, if any. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 7 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 + Details
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