XML 49 R37.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Business Events (Details Textuals) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016
Business Events (Line Items) |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of held for sale (HFS) portfolio | $ 0 |  | $ 0 |  | $ 0 | $ (1,218)
Other Expense [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Business Events (Line Items) |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of held for sale (HFS) portfolio | $ 0 | $ (1,091) |  | $ (127) |  |

X
- Definition Business Events for the period + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_BusinessEventsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The cash inflow resulting from the sale of loans classified as held-for-sale, including proceeds from loans sold through mortgage securitization. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 16 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3337-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 21 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3461-108585 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 230 -Section 55 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34726456&loc=d3e60097-112785 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfLoansHeldForSale
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | axp_GainOnSaleOfHfsPortfolioByIncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |