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Other Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Summary of other liabilities
Membership Rewards liability	$ 6,521axp_MembershipRewardsLiabilities	$ 6,151axp_MembershipRewardsLiabilities
Employee-related liablities	2,258us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent	2,227us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Rebate and reward accruals	2,389axp_RebateAccruals	2,210axp_RebateAccruals
Deferred card and other fees, net	1,308axp_DeferredCardAndOtherFeesNet	1,314axp_DeferredCardAndOtherFeesNet
Book overdraft balances	647us-gaap_BankOverdrafts	442us-gaap_BankOverdrafts
Other	4,728axp_LiabilitiesOther	4,566axp_LiabilitiesOther
Total	17,851us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	16,910us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees
Deferred card and other fees	1,615axp_DeferredChargeCardAndOtherFees	1,609axp_DeferredChargeCardAndOtherFees
Deferred direct acquisition costs	(176)axp_DeferredDirectAcquisitionCosts	(164)axp_DeferredDirectAcquisitionCosts
Reserves for membership cancellations	(131)axp_ReservesForMembershipCancellations	(131)axp_ReservesForMembershipCancellations
Total	$ 1,308axp_DeferredCardAndOtherFeesNet	$ 1,314axp_DeferredCardAndOtherFeesNet

X

- Definition

Represents the carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees, net of direct acquisition costs and reserves for membership cancellations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_DeferredCardAndOtherFeesNet
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents amounts related to deferred charges and other fees including deferred fees for Membership Reward program participants.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_DeferredChargeCardAndOtherFees
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	axp_DeferredChargeCardFeesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Represents amounts related to deferred direct acquisition costs including deferred direct acquisition costs that are associated with acquiring new Card Members.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_DeferredDirectAcquisitionCosts
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents amounts related to other liabilities including accruals for general operating expenses, advertising and promotion, derivatives, restructuring and reengineering reserves.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_LiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents amounts related to the estimated cost of points earned to date that are ultimately expected to be redeemed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_MembershipRewardsLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents amounts related to rebate and reward accruals including payments to third-party card issuing partners and cash-back reward costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_RebateAccruals
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents estimated fees refundable to Card Members if they cancel their card.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_ReservesForMembershipCancellations
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of payments made in excess of existing cash balances, which will be honored by the bank but reflected as a loan to the entity. Overdrafts generally have a very short time frame for correction or repayment and are therefore more similar to short-term bank financing than trade financing.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Current Liabilities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6509677



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28361426&loc=d3e1243-112600

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of liabilities not separately disclosed in the balance sheet.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Article 9



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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- Details

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