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Significant Credit Concentrations (Details Textuals)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Credit Concentrations (Textuals) [Abstract]
Percentage of worldwide billed business	5.00%
Percentage of worldwide cardmember lending receivables	15.00%

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of the Company's worldwide billed business that is generated from the Company's Delta SkyMiles Credit Card co-brand portfolio accounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_CoBrandPortfolioAccountPercentageOfWorldwideBilledBusiness
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of the Company's worldwide cardmember lending receivables that are attributable to the Company's Delta SkyMiles Credit Card co-brand portfolio accounts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_CoBrandPortfolioAccountPercentageOfWorldwideCardmemberLendingReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	axp_SignificantCreditConcentrationsTextualsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration