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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 6) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 Account | Mar. 31, 2014 Account
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |
Number of Accounts | 14,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2 | 16,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2
Aggregated Outstanding Balance | $ 120 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2 | $ 143 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2
Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |
Number of Accounts | 11,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember | 12,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember
Aggregated Outstanding Balance | 80 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember | 96 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember
Average basis point reduction in interest rate by class of Card Member loans | 12.00%axp_AverageInterestRateReductionByClassOfCardmemberLoan / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember | 14.00%axp_AverageInterestRateReductionByClassOfCardmemberLoan / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember
Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Financing Receivable, Modifications [Line Items] |  |
Number of Accounts | 3,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember | 4,000 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember
Aggregated Outstanding Balance | $ 40 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember | $ 47 us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsPostModificationRecordedInvestment2 / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember
Average payment term extension | 12 axp_AveragePaymentTermExtension / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember | 12 axp_AveragePaymentTermExtension / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableTroubledDebtRestructuringAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember

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- Definition The average basis point reduction in interest rate by class of cardmember loan. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The average period for payment term extension for cardmember receivables modified in a TDR. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953676-111524 + Details
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- Definition Post-modification amount of investment in financing receivables modified by troubled debt restructurings. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 33 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=SL6953676-111524 + Details
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