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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 6) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 Account | Dec. 31, 2013 Account | Dec. 31, 2012 Account
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of Accounts (in thousands) | 13,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 | 21,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 | 24,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1
Aggregated Outstanding Balance Upon Payment Default | $ 129 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 | $ 197 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 | $ 219 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1
Card Member Loans [Member] | U S Card Services [Member] |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of Accounts (in thousands) | 10,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 18,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 23,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
Aggregated Outstanding Balance Upon Payment Default | 85 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 159 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 182 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
Card Member Receivables [Member] | U S Card Services [Member] |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of Accounts (in thousands) | 3,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 3,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultNumberOfContracts1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
Aggregated Outstanding Balance Upon Payment Default | $ 44 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | $ 38 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | $ 37 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsSubsequentDefaultRecordedInvestment1 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardMemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember

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- Definition Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous 12 months and for which there was a payment default. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953682-111524 + Details
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- Definition Amount of investment related to financing receivables modified by troubled debt restructurings within the previous 12 months, for which there was a payment default. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 34 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953682-111524 + Details
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