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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Interest Income Recognized And Average Balances Of Impaired Cardmember Loans And Receivables [Line Items]
Interest income recognized	$ 93	$ 131
Average balance of impaired loans	1,741	2,508
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Loans [Member]
Interest Income Recognized And Average Balances Of Impaired Cardmember Loans And Receivables [Line Items]
Interest income recognized	67	101
Average balance of impaired loans	1,498	2,256
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Interest Income Recognized And Average Balances Of Impaired Cardmember Loans And Receivables [Line Items]
Interest income recognized	0	0
Average balance of impaired loans	145	110
International Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Loans [Member]
Interest Income Recognized And Average Balances Of Impaired Cardmember Loans And Receivables [Line Items]
Interest income recognized	26	30
Average balance of impaired loans	$ 98	$ 142

X

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X

- Definition

The average recorded investment related to impaired financing receivables.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

-Subparagraph (c)(1)



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 17

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5258-111524

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X

- Definition

The interest income recognized during the time within that period that the financing receivables were impaired.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration