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Reportable Operating Segements and Geographic Operations (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 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
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense | $ 9,107 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,329 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,657 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,199 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,547 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,301 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 8,245 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 7,881 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 34,292 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 32,974 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense | $ 31,555 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense
Pretax income | 2,225 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 2,246 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 2,312 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 2,208 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 1,980 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 2,004 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 1,995 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 1,909 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 8,991 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 7,888 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments | 6,451 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
United States Geographic Region [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,855 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember | 23,745 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember | 22,631 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember
Pretax income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8,869 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember | 7,679 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember | 6,468 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_UnitedStatesGeographicRegionMember
EMEA Geographic Region [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3,767 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember | 3,700 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember | 3,594 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember
Pretax income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 525 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember | 524 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember | 505 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_EmeaGeographicRegionMember
JAPA Geographic Region [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,934 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember | 2,952 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember | 3,106 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember
Pretax income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 463 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember | 488 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember | 426 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_JapaGeographicRegionMember
LACC Geographic Region [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,888 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember | 2,900 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember | 2,774 axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember
Pretax income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 683 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember | 701 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember | 605 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_LaccGeographicRegionMember
Other Unallocated [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Segment Revenues And Pretax Income Loss By Geographic Location [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues net of interest expense |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (152)axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember | (323)axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember | (550)axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember
Pretax income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (1,549)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember | $ (1,504)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember | $ (1,553)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments / us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis = axp_OtherUnallocatedMember

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