Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
U S Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	$ 52,930	$ 50,508
30 to 59 days past due	218	282
60 to 89 days past due	165	226
90+ days past due	373	549
Total aging	53,686	51,565
U S Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	20,246	18,864
30 to 59 days past due	122	104
60 to 89 days past due	81	55
90+ days past due	196	132
Total aging	20,645	19,155
International Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	8,748	9,044
30 to 59 days past due	52	66
60 to 89 days past due	32	48
90+ days past due	69	97
Total aging	8,901	9,255
International Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
90+ days past due	63	64
Total aging	7,222	6,673
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
90+ days past due	109	96
Total aging	$ 12,829	$ 11,259

Recorded investment in financing receivables that are current and past due at the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Financing receivables that are current.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Financing receivables that are less than 60 days past due but more than 29 days past due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953401-111524

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Financing receivables that are less than 90 days past due but more than 59 days past due.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Financing receivables that are equal to or greater than 90 days past due.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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