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Acquisitions and Divestitures Textual ( Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Acquisition Textuals [Abstract]
Cash payment due to extinguishing a portion of NCI			$ 132,000,000axp_NonControllingInterestCashPayment
Long-term liability incurred as a cause of the extinguishment of a portion of NCI			121,000,000axp_NonControllingInterestLiabilityIncurred
Reduction in equity due to extinguishment of a portion of NCI			107,000,000us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
Ownership percentage by the Company		50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
Fair value portion of investments accounted under the equity method.		900,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Cash invested by third party in joint venture		900,000,000axp_CashInvestedByThirdPartyInJointVenture
Ownership percentage by Investor		50.00%axp_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentageOfThirdParty
Deconsolidation gain amount, before tax	626,000,000axp_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmountBeforeTax	630,000,000axp_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmountBeforeTax
Deconsolidation gain amount, after tax	$ 409,000,000axp_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmountAfterTax	$ 412,000,000axp_DeconsolidationGainOrLossAmountAfterTax

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Primary input used to determine fair value of equity investment

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No definition available.

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Gain on business travel joint venture transaction, after tax

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Gain on business travel joint venture, before tax

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- Definition

The percentage of ownership by an investor group of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

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The amount of cash acquired due to the extinguishment of non-controlling interest.

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The amount of long-term liability incurred as a cause of the extinguishment of non-controlling interest.

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The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

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Fair value portion of investments accounted under the equity method.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

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Decrease in noncontrolling interest (for example, but not limited to, redeeming or purchasing the interests of noncontrolling shareholders, issuance of shares (interests) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary to the parent entity for other than cash, and a buyback of shares (interest) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary from the noncontrolling interests).

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

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