XML 55 R45.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.0.814

Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 5) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014
Financing Receivable Impaired [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Average balance of impaired loans | $ 774 | $ 782 | $ 775 | $ 844
Interest income recognized | 19 | 16 | 53 | 49
U S Card Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable Impaired [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Average balance of impaired loans | 693 | 675 | 685 | 734
Interest income recognized | 16 | 12 | 43 | 37
U S Card Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable Impaired [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Average balance of impaired loans | 28 | 44 | 35 | 47
Interest income recognized | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
International Card Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] |  |  |  |
Financing Receivable Impaired [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Average balance of impaired loans | 53 | 63 | 55 | 63
Interest income recognized | $ 3 | $ 4 | $ 10 | $ 12

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableImpairedLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5212-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 17 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5258-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of interest income recognized that the financing receivables (with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses) were impaired. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5212-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableInterestIncomeAccrualMethod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=axp_USCardServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberLoansMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |