XML 156 R88.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.1.9

Other Assets (Details Textuals) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Prepaid expenses | $ 1,626,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent | $ 1,998,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent |
Restricted cash | 384,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents | 486,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents |
Amortization period of acquired finite-lived intangible assets | 7 years 0 months 0 days | 6 years 0 months 0 days |
Other intangible assets, at amortized cost | 854,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet | 817,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet |
Foreign deferred tax liabilities | 96,000,000 axp_ForeignDeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther |  |
Other Assets (Textuals) [Abstract] |  |  |
Goodwill impaired | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss |
Amortization expense | 174,000,000 us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets | 193,000,000 us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets | 198,000,000 us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Affordable housing partnership interests | 622,000,000 axp_AffordableHousingPartnershipInterests | 541,000,000 axp_AffordableHousingPartnershipInterests |
Sale of Concur Technologies | 990,000,000 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments | 0 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments | 0 us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments
Gain on sale of investments in Concur Technologies | 744,000,000 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposal | 0 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposal | 0 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposal
Carrying amount of Concur Technologies | 246,000,000 us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentSoldCarryingAmount |  |
Customer Relationships [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Other intangible assets, at amortized cost | 701,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember | 637,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember |
Other Contracts [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Other intangible assets, at amortized cost | 153,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = axp_OtherContractsMember | 180,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = axp_OtherContractsMember |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Amortization period of intangible assets | 3 years 0 months 0 days |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Amortization period of intangible assets | 22 years 0 months 0 days |  |
Coupon and Certain Asset-Backed Securitization Maturities [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Restricted cash | 64,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents / us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis = axp_CouponMember | 58,000,000 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents / us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis = axp_CouponMember |
Airline [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Other intangible assets, at amortized cost | 340,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember | 290,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember |
Airline [Member] | Delta [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Other intangible assets, at amortized cost | 206,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByLegalEntityOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_DeltaMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember | 117,000,000 us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByLegalEntityOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_DeltaMember / us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis = us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember |
Prepaid Miles And Reward Points [Member] | Airline [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Prepaid expenses | 1,100,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsAxis = axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsMember | 1,500,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsAxis = axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsMember |
Prepaid Miles And Reward Points [Member] | Airline [Member] | Delta [Member] |  |  |
Other Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Prepaid expenses | $ 600,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByLegalEntityOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_DeltaMember / axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsAxis = axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsMember | $ 900,000,000 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseCurrentAndNoncurrent / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByIndustryOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_AirlineMember / us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivablesByLegalEntityOfCounterpartyTypeAxis = axp_DeltaMember / axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsAxis = axp_PrepaidMilesAndRewardPointsMember |

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