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Common and Preferred Shares and Warrants (Details Textuals) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Mar. 25, 2013
Common And Preferred Shares And Warrants (Textuals) [Abstract]        
Common share repurchases authorized       150,000,000axp_CommonShareRepurchasesAuthorized
Common shares repurchased 49,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired 55,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired    
Cost basis of common stock repurchased $ 4,389,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock $ 3,943,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock $ 3,952,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock  
Commissions paid included in cost basis of common stock repurchased 1,000,000axp_CommissionsPaid 1,100,000axp_CommissionsPaid    
Common shares remaining under share repurchase authorizations 59,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased      
Shares held as treasury shares 3,200,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockNumberOfSharesHeld 3,500,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockNumberOfSharesHeld 3,900,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockNumberOfSharesHeld  
Cost basis of treasury stock 280,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockCarryingBasis 260,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockCarryingBasis 236,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockCarryingBasis  
Preferred shares, authorized 20,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized    
Preferred shares, par value 1.66 0    
Preferred stock, shares issued 750us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued  
Preferred stock, shares outstanding 750us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesOutstanding  
Depositary shares, issued 750,000axp_DepositarySharesIssued      
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Value 750,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreferenceValue      
Preferred Stock, Dividend Rate, Percentage 5.20%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage      
Preferred Stock, Dividend Payment. Rate Variable 3-month Libor plus 3.428 percent      
Depositary Shares, Redemption Amount $ 1,000axp_DepositarySharesRedemptionAmount      
Warrants, issued and outstanding 0us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding 0us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding 0us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding