Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
U S Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	$ 50,739	$ 52,930
30 to 59 days past due	192	218
60 to 89 days past due	150	165
90+ days past due	342	373
Total aging	51,423	53,686
U S Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	18,946	20,246
30 to 59 days past due	108	122
60 to 89 days past due	82	81
90+ days past due	183	196
Total aging	19,319	20,645
International Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	8,480	8,748
30 to 59 days past due	53	52
60 to 89 days past due	32	32
90+ days past due	67	69
Total aging	8,632	8,901
International Card Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
90+ days past due	70	63
Total aging	6,736	7,222
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Cardmember Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
90+ days past due	95	109
Total aging	$ 15,298	$ 12,829

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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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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
Period Type:	instant