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Reserves For Losses (Details Textuals) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Allowance for Card Member Receivables, Recoveries of Bad Debts | $ 358,000,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesRecoveries | $ 402,000,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesRecoveries | $ 383,000,000 us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesRecoveries
Allowance for Card Member Loans, Recoveries of Bad Debts | 428,000,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossRecoveryOfBadDebts | 452,000,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossRecoveryOfBadDebts | 493,000,000 us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossRecoveryOfBadDebts
Allowance for Card Member Receivables, Recoveries of Bad Debts - TDR | 15,000,000 axp_AllowanceForReceivablesRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR | 12,000,000 axp_AllowanceForReceivablesRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR | 87,000,000 axp_AllowanceForReceivablesRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR
Allowance for Card Member Loans, Recoveries of Bad Debts - TDR | (10,000,000)axp_AllowanceForLoansRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR | (1,000,000)axp_AllowanceForLoansRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR | 25,000,000 axp_AllowanceForLoansRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR
Card Member loans reserves for losses - other | 12,000,000 axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther | (22,000,000)axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther | (7,000,000)axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther
Unauthorized Transactions [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Card Member receivables reserves for losses - other | (7,000,000)axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_UnauthorizedtransactionsmemberMember |  |
Card Member loans reserves for losses - other | (6,000,000)axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_UnauthorizedtransactionsmemberMember |  |
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Card Member receivables reserves for losses - other | (15,000,000)axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember | (4,000,000)axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember | 2,000,000 axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember
Card Member loans reserves for losses - other | (17,000,000)axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember | (12,000,000)axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember | 7,000,000 axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_ForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentsMember
Card Member Bankruptcy Reserves [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Card Member receivables reserves for losses - other | 0 axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember | 0 axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember | 18,000,000 axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember
Card Member loans reserves for losses - other | 0 axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember | 0 axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember | 4,000,000 axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_CardMemberBankruptcyReservesMember
Other Items [Member] |  |  |
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] |  |  |
Card Member receivables reserves for losses - other | $ (8,000,000)axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_OtherItemsMember | $ (17,000,000)axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_OtherItemsMember | $ 9,000,000 axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis = axp_OtherItemsMember

X
- Definition Amount of recovery of Card Member loans related to troubled debt restructurings, which had previously been fully or partially written-off as bad debts. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_AllowanceForLoansRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of recovery of Card Member receivables related to troubled debt restructurings, which had previously been fully or partially written-off as bad debts. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_AllowanceForReceivablesRecoveriesOfBadDebtsTDR
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Represents adjustments to Card Member loans resulting from unauthorized transactions and foreign currency translation adjustments for the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_CardMemberLoansReservesForLossesOther
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents adjustments to Card Member receivables resulting from unauthorized transactions and foreign currency translation adjustments for the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_ProvisionsForLossesDeductionsChargeCardNetWriteOffsOther
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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

X
- Definition Amount of recovery of loans and lease receivables which had previously been fully or partially written-off as bad debts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953423-111524 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Total of recoveries of amounts due the Entity that had previously been written off as uncollectible using allowances (the valuation accounts that are netted against the cost of an asset to value it at its carrying value) and total of reestablishments of reserves (liabilities established to represent expected future costs) that had previously been utilized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 09 -Article 12 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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