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Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 3) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014
U S Card Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 1.50%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1.70%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal, Interest, and Fees | 1.70%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1.90%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.00%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1.10%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
U S Card Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 2.20%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1.80%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal, Interest, and Fees | 2.40%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 2.00%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.70%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember | 1.80%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember
International Card Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 2.00%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 2.20%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal, Interest, and Fees | 2.50%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 2.70%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.80%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 1.70%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberLoansMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
International Card Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal Only | 1.90%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 1.90%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Net Write-Off Rate - Principal, Interest, and Fees | 2.00%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 2.00%axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
30 Days Past Due as a % of Total | 1.60%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember | 1.40%axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Global Commercial Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |
Credit Quality Indicator for Loans and Receivables |  |
Net Loss Ratio as a % of Charge Volume | 0.10%axp_NetLossRatioAsPercentageOfChargeVolume / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember | 0.09%axp_NetLossRatioAsPercentageOfChargeVolume / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
90 days past billing as a percentage of receivables | 0.70%axp_NinetyDaysPastBillingAsPercentageOfReceivables / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember | 0.70%axp_NinetyDaysPastBillingAsPercentageOfReceivables / us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis = axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember

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- Details
Name: | axp_CreditQualityIndicatorForLoansAndReceivablesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Represents the ratio of charge card write-offs consisting of principal (resulting from authorized and unauthorized transactions) and fee components, less recoveries, on cardmember receivables expressed as a percentage of gross amounts billed to cardmembers. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetLossRatioAsPercentageOfChargeVolume
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Represents the amount of cardmember loans or cardmember receivables written off consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions), less recoveries, as a percentage of the average loan balance or average receivables during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipal
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Represents the amount of cardmember loans or cardmember receivables written off consisting of principal, interest, and fees (resulting from authorized transactions), less recoveries, as a percentage of the average loan balance or average receivables during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NetWriteOffRatePrincipalInterestFees
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Represents metric calculated as cardmember receivables that are 90 days past billing expressed as a percentage of total cardmember receivables. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_NinetyDaysPastBillingAsPercentageOfReceivables
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Represents metric calculated as accounts receivable or loans that are 30 days past due expressed as a percentage of total accounts receivables or loans. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_ThirtyDaysPastDueAsPercentageOfTotal
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=axp_USCardServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |