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Investment Securities (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |  |
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months | $ 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue | $ 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more | 73 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue | 105 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |  |
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more | (2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses | (3)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
U.S. States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member] |  |
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |  |
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more | 40 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember | 72 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |  |
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more | (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember | (2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Other [Member] |  |
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |  |
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more | 33 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember | 33 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |  |
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember | 0 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more | $ (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember | $ (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember

X
- Definition Amount of unrealized loss on securities classified as available-for-sale that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
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- Definition Amount of unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27337-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27337-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for twelve months or longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27337-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563 + Details
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