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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 3) | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2012 | Jun. 30, 2011
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Loans [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 2.30% | 3.40%
Net Write Off Rate - Principal, Interest and Fees | 2.50% | 3.80%
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.20% | 1.50%
U S Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 2.20% | 1.60%
Net Write Off Rate - Principal, Interest and Fees | 2.30% | 1.70%
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.70% | 1.70%
International Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Loans [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 2.10% | 3.10%
Net Write Off Rate - Principal, Interest and Fees | 2.60% | 3.70%
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.70% | 2.10%
International Card Services [Member] | Cardmember Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Loss Ratio as a % of Charge Volume | 0.16% | 0.15%
90 days past billing as a percentage of receivables | 1.00% | 1.00%
Global Commercial Services [Member] | Cardmember Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Loss Ratio as a % of Charge Volume | 0.07% | 0.06%
90 days past billing as a percentage of receivables | 0.60% | 0.70%

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- Details
Name: | axp_CreditQualityIndicatorForLoansAndReceivablesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Represents the ratio of charge card write-offs consisting of principal (resulting from authorized and unauthorized transactions) and fee components, less recoveries, on cardmember receivables expressed as a percentage of gross amounts billed to cardmembers. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetLossRatioAsPercentageOfChargeVolume
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Represents the amount of cardmember loans or cardmember receivables written off consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions), less recoveries, as a percentage of the average loan balance or average receivables during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Represents the amount of cardmember loans or cardmember receivables written off consisting of principal, interest, and fees (resulting from authorized transactions), less recoveries, as a percentage of the average loan balance or average receivables during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Represents metric calculated as cardmember receivables that are 90 days past billing expressed as a percentage of total cardmember receivables. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NinetyDaysPastBillingAsPercentageOfReceivables
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents metric calculated as accounts receivable or loans that are 30 days past due expressed as a percentage of total accounts receivables or loans. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant