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Fair Values (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Investment securities: |  |
Equity securities | $ 1.0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities | $ 1.0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities
Debt securities and other | 4,416 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther | 4,430 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther
Derivatives | 932 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset | 991 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Total assets | 5,349 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring | 5,422 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring
Level 1 [Member] |  |
Investment securities: |  |
Equity securities | 1.0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member | 1.0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Debt securities and other | 352 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member | 350 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Derivatives | 0 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member | 0 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Total assets | 353 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member | 351 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Level 2 [Member] |  |
Investment securities: |  |
Equity securities | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Debt securities and other | 4,064 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member | 4,080 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Derivatives | 932 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member | 991 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Total assets | 4,996 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member | 5,071 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Level 3 [Member] |  |
Investment securities: |  |
Equity securities | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesEquitySecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Debt securities and other | 0 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member | 0 axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesAndOther / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Derivatives | 0 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member | 0 axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAsset / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Total assets | $ 0 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member | $ 0 us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureRecurring / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member

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- Definition Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value on a recurring basis by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor as trading. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 320 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62557-112803 + Details
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