<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-06-18</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000004962</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN EXPRESS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AXP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001178437</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FAIRBAIRN URSULA F</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, Human Resources</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>75000.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>29.302</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>220742.433</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <nonDerivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>59468.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>43.89</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>161274.433</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>29.302</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>75000.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>1999-02-23</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2008-02-22</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Shares</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>75000.000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>90000.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
   <derivativeSecurity>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Options (right to buy)</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>43.890</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-06-18</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>59468.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionValue>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionValue>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2003-12-18</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2008-02-22</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Shares</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>59468.000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>59468.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">In addition to these direct holdings, Ms. Fairbairn indirectly held 1,156 shares in her account under the Company's Incentive Savings Plan as of June 18, 2003.  This plan uses unit accounting, and the number of shares that a participant is deemed to hold varies with the unit price of the Company pooled stock fund.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">These options vested in three equal annual installments beginning on the date shown as "Date Exercisable."</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Ursula F. Fairbairn</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-06-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Ursula F. Fairbairn</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-06-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

