Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
U S Card Services [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	$ 55,193	$ 57,772
30 to 59 days past due	175	183
60 to 89 days past due	134	134
90+ days past due	299	306
Total aging	55,801	58,395
U S Card Services [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	20,355	21,488
30 to 59 days past due	119	125
60 to 89 days past due	84	69
90+ days past due	168	160
Total aging	20,726	21,842
International Card Services [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	8,013	8,664
30 to 59 days past due	48	43
60 to 89 days past due	30	28
90+ days past due	63	55
Total aging	8,154	8,790
International Card Services [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	7,050
30 to 59 days past due	34
60 to 89 days past due	21
90+ days past due	48	83
Total aging	7,153	7,771
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
90+ days past due	122	132
Total aging	$ 16,638	$ 14,391

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=28368275&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
Period Type:	instant