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Investment Securities (Details 1) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
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 $ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue $ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 73us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue 105us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract]    
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses 0us-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 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 40us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
72us-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 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
0us-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 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 33us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
33us-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 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember
0us-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