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Significant Credit Concentrations (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Billions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
Card Member loans and receivables exposure |  |
On-balance sheet | $ 177 | $ 185
Card Member Loans and Receivables [Member] |  |
Card Member loans and receivables exposure |  |
On-balance sheet | 117 | 145
Unused lines-of-credit | 314 | 306
U.S. [Member] | Card Member Loans and Receivables [Member] |  |
Card Member loans and receivables exposure |  |
On-balance sheet | 95 | 115
Unused lines-of-credit | 251 | 245
Non-U.S. [Member] | Card Member Loans and Receivables [Member] |  |
Card Member loans and receivables exposure |  |
On-balance sheet | 22 | 30
Unused lines-of-credit | $ 63 | $ 61

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- Definition Represents table detailing the Company's Card Member loans and receivables exposure (including unused lines-of-credit on Card Member loans) in the United States and outside the United States. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | axp_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
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- Definition Maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entity. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121572278&loc=d3e13537-108611 + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
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- Definition Unused amount of commitments to extend credit to customers. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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Period Type: |