XML 125 R144.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.1.9

Quarterly Financial Data (Details Textuals) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2014 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Sep. 30, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012
Quarterly Financial Data (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earnings allocated to participating share awards | $ 11 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 11 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 12 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 12 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 11 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 12 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 13 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 11 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 46 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 47 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits | $ 49 us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits |
Periods in the prior year [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Card Member reimbursements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 axp_CardMemberReimbursements / axp_ErrorCorrectionAndPriorPeriodAdjustmentsRestatementByRestatementPeriodAndAmountAxis = axp_CurrentYearErrorsMember
Periods prior to the prior year [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Statement [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Card Member reimbursements |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 axp_CardMemberReimbursements / axp_ErrorCorrectionAndPriorPeriodAdjustmentsRestatementByRestatementPeriodAndAmountAxis = axp_PriorPeriodReductionErrorsMember

X
- Definition Represents Card Member reimbursements for various types of transactions dating back several years related to fees, interest and bonus rewards as well as incremental expense related to the consent orders entered into with the Company's U.S. banking regulators. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_CardMemberReimbursements
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) to net income used for calculating diluted earnings per share (EPS), resulting from the assumed exercise of stock options or restrictive stock units (RSUs). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AmountOfDilutiveSecuritiesStockOptionsAndRestrictiveStockUnits
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | axp_ErrorCorrectionAndPriorPeriodAdjustmentsRestatementByRestatementPeriodAndAmountAxis=axp_CurrentYearErrorsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | axp_ErrorCorrectionAndPriorPeriodAdjustmentsRestatementByRestatementPeriodAndAmountAxis=axp_PriorPeriodReductionErrorsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |