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Debt (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 58,973 | $ 59,570
Unamortized Underwriting Fees | (112) | (106)
Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 3.04% | 3.69%
Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 9,570 | 10,083
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2042 |
Long-term Debt | 8,848 | 9,364
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 4.95% | 6.06%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.78% | 6.90%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2015-2017 |
Long-term Debt | 2,120 | 2,149
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 3.32% | 3.32%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 4.12% | 5.83%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2017 |
Long-term Debt | 17,163 | 14,188
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 2.39% | 2.80%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 4.20% | 4.78%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2017 |
Long-term Debt | 2,764 | 3,581
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 3.68% | 3.11%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.68% | 5.65%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2015 |
Long-term Debt | 2,100 | 0
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.65% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2015 |
Long-term Debt | 550 | 400
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.76% | 0.43%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2015 |
Long-term Debt | 2,203 | 2,444
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.59% | 1.24%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2017 |
Long-term Debt | 300 | 1,100
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.51% | 0.47%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2014 |
Long-term Debt | 3,000 | 4,488
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.49% | 0.52%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2018 |
Long-term Debt | 12,810 | 15,065
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.90% | 0.95%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 0 | 72
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 0.75%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2013-2018 |
Long-term Debt | 1,091 | 1,245
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.93% | 0.85%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.80% |
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2036 |
Long-term Debt | 749 | 749
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 6.80% | 6.80%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2014-2016 |
Long-term Debt | 4,672 | 4,579
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 6.27%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 4.87% | 6.38%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2015 |
Long-term Debt | 300 | 0
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.08% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2014-2022 |
Long-term Debt | 123 | 123
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.94% | 5.74%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Sale Lease Back Transaction Name [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | 118 | 123
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Maturity Dates | 2014-2015 |
Long-term Debt | $ 292 | $ 129
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.65% | 0.66%

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- Definition Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Reflects as of the balance-sheet date the effective interest rates on debt outstanding presented if swaps are in place to hedge the underlying debt. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 7 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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- Definition The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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