XML 70 R46.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.1

Reserves for Credit Losses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2020 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Jan. 01, 2020
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance, January 1 | $ 2,383 |  |
Provisions | 1,876 | $ 525 |
Net write-offs, principal, interest and fees | (145) | (124) |
Balance, March 31 | 5,236 |  |
Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance, January 1 | 4,027 | 2,134 |
Other | (42) | 11 |
Balance, March 31 | 5,236 | 2,121 |
Increase related to adoption of the CECL methodology |  |  | $ 1,643
Net Write Offs [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Provisions | 1,876 | 525 |
Principal [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Net write-offs, principal, interest and fees | (518) | (457) |
Interest and Fees [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Net write-offs, principal, interest and fees | (107) | (92) |
Troubled Debt Restructuring [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Net write-offs, principal, interest and fees | (31) | (15) |
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments [Member] |  |  |
Reserve for Losses [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Other | $ (42) | $ 6 |

X
- Definition Increase in Loans and Leases Receivable, Allowance + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_IncreaseInLoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Reserve for Losses + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | axp_ReserveForLossesRollForward
Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of other addition (reduction) in allowance reserve for credit loss. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=d3e5212-111524 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesAdjustmentsNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after recoveries, of loans and leases that have been written-off. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesWriteoffsNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939070&loc=d3e15032-111544 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.L.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74567-122707 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of expense related to estimated loss from loan and lease transactions. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLosses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | axp_NetwriteoffsaxisAxis=axp_NetwriteoffsmemberdomainMemberDomain
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | axp_NetwriteoffsaxisAxis=axp_ProvisionsforloansandleaselossesdeductionsnetwriteoffsprincipalmemberMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | axp_NetwriteoffsaxisAxis=axp_ProvisionsforloansandleaselossesdeductionsnetwriteoffsinterestandfeesmemberMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=axp_TroubleddebtrestructuringMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=axp_ForeigncurrencytranslationadjustmentsmemberMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |