XML 128 R107.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
--- | --- | ---
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | $ 544 | $ 991
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 201 | 164
Total derivatives assets, net | 282 | 711
Other Assets [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 544 | 991
Cash collateral netting | (155) | (158)
Derivative asset and liability netting | (107) | (122)
Total derivatives assets, net | 282 | 711
Other Assets [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 427 | 806
Other Assets [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 117 | 185
Other Assets [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 236 | 314
Other Assets [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Total Return Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 0 | 0
Other Assets [Member] | Net Investment Hedging [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative assets | 191 | 492
Other Liabilities [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 201 | 164
Cash collateral netting | 0 | (4)
Derivative asset and liability netting | (107) | (122)
Total derivatives liabilities, net | 94 | 38
Other Liabilities [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 66 | 50
Other Liabilities [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 135 | 114
Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 9 | 4
Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value Hedging [Member] | Total Return Swap [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | 0 | 0
Other Liabilities [Member] | Net Investment Hedging [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items] |  |
Total fair value of derivative liabilities | $ 57 | $ 46

X
- Definition Represents the netting of cash collateral received and posted under credit support agreements. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_CashCollateralNetting
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the netting of derivative assets and liabilities under master netting agreements. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_DerivativeAssetAndLiabilityNetting
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_FairValueOfDerivativeAssets
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_FairValueOfDerivativeLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41271-113958 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41228-113958 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13495-108611 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226008-175313 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51825145&loc=SL20226008-175313 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13495-108611 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13433-108611 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41271-113958 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41228-113958 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_TotalReturnSwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |