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Guarantees (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Type of Guarantee
Maximum potential amount of undiscounted future payments	$ 46,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure	$ 45,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Amount of related liability	102,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue	111,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
Return And Merchant Protection [Member]
Type of Guarantee
Maximum potential amount of undiscounted future payments	38,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = axp_ReturnAndMerchantProtectionMember	37,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = axp_ReturnAndMerchantProtectionMember
Amount of related liability	45,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = axp_ReturnAndMerchantProtectionMember	44,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = axp_ReturnAndMerchantProtectionMember
Other Guarantees [Member]
Type of Guarantee
Maximum potential amount of undiscounted future payments	8,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember	8,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember
Amount of related liability	$ 57,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember	$ 67,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue / us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis = us-gaap_GuaranteeTypeOtherMember

X

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	axp_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The current carrying amount of the liability for the freestanding or embedded guarantor's obligations under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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X

- Details

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Data Type:	na
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