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Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other non-interest revenue	$ 468us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome	$ 501us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome
Interest expense on long-term debt and other	307us-gaap_InterestExpenseLongTermDebt	345us-gaap_InterestExpenseLongTermDebt
Other expenses	1,399us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense	1,549us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense
Net Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Investment Securities [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other non-interest revenue	0us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember	45us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
Income tax provision for other non-interest revenue	0axp_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncomeTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember	(16)axp_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncomeTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
(Decrease) increase due to amounts reclassified into earnings	0axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember	29axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Other expenses	0us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember	(2)us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
Income tax benefit for other, net expense	0axp_OtherNoninterestExpenseTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember	1axp_OtherNoninterestExpenseTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
(Decrease) increase due to amounts reclassified into earnings	0axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember	(1)axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
(Decrease) increase due to amounts reclassified into earnings	$ 0axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember	$ 28axp_OtherComprehensiveIncomeReclassificationForRealizedGainsLossesIntoEarningsNetOfTax / us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis = us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember

X

- Definition

Represents the income tax provision related to other forms of revenue earned, excluding interest, which is not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The total realized gain/ loss that has been included as a separate component of shareholders' equity during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Income tax benefit related to other noninterest expenses that are not separately presented in any other noninterest expense category.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Aggregate amount of interest paid or due on all long-term debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 8

-Article 9



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.8)

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- Definition

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 13

-Article 9



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.4)

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- Definition

Other noninterest expenses that are not separately presented in any other noninterest expense category.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.14)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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