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v2.4.1.9

Income Taxes (Details 2) (USD $) | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
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Deferred tax assets: |  |
Reserves not yet deducted for tax purposes | $ 3,926,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccruals | $ 3,813,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccruals
Employee compensation and benefits | 789,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefits | 721,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefits
Other | 266,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther | 546,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Gross deferred tax assets | 4,981,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross | 5,080,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Valuation allowance | (75,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance | (121,000,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Deferred tax assets after valuation allowance | 4,906,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet | 4,959,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Deferred tax liabilities: |  |
Intangibles and fixed assets | 1,597,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment | 1,465,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Deferred revenue | 498,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesTaxDeferredIncome | 453,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesTaxDeferredIncome
Deferred interest | 350,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedInterest | 363,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDeferredExpenseCapitalizedInterest
Asset Securitization | 162,000,000 axp_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesAssetSecurities | 130,000,000 axp_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesAssetSecurities
Investment in joint ventures | 223,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates | 10,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates
Foreign deferred tax liabilities | 62,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther | 95,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Gross deferred tax liabilities | 2,892,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities | 2,516,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Net deferred tax assets | $ 2,014,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet | $ 2,443,000,000 us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet

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