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Debt (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
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Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 55,804 | $ 46,990
Unamortized Underwriting Fees | $ (111) | $ (71)
Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.44% | 2.39%
Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 12,695 | $ 8,364
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 10,377 | $ 6,932
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 3.17% | 4.24%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 3.85% | 5.13%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 0 | $ 1,306
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 4.83%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 5.99%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 19,652 | $ 16,201
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 2.27% | 1.44%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.24% | 1.98%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 0 | $ 1,000
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 6.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 8,099 | $ 3,500
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.90% | 1.41%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 1,750 | $ 850
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.93% | 1.51%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 125 | $ 125
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Centurion Bank [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.89% | 1.26%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 4,550 | $ 4,350
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.09% | 1.52%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 0 | $ 300
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Bank, FSB [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 0.96%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust II [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 4,200 | $ 4,200
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust II [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 1.79% | 1.12%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 5,800 | $ 7,025
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.03% | 1.20%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust II [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 87 | $ 87
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Charge Trust II [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.11% | 1.34%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 192 | $ 316
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.05% | 1.34%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 598 | $ 598
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 2.66% | 1.92%
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 3.63% | 3.63%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 0 | $ 0
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Borrowings under Bank Credit Facilities [Member] | American Express Credit Corporation [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 206 | $ 0
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 2.21% |
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes Amount [Member] | American Express Lending Trust [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 23 | $ 24
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 5.59% | 5.62%
Fixed Rate Instruments [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Capitalized lease transactions |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 23 | $ 24
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Long-term Debt | $ 256 | $ 247
Year-End Effective Interest Rates with Swaps | 0.00% | 0.00%
Floating Rate Borrowings [Member] | Other Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] |  |
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt | 0.42% | 0.44%

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