-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AT265jZehp2LdTXC6t+K0m3ISPjGlxzxGem8MnoTlPfTjf/jfU2MzyzjGay/+iqy
 4Cb3k1kWiEpkGoudxy22Rw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000004962-03-000150.txt : 20030812
<SEC-HEADER>0000004962-03-000150.hdr.sgml : 20030812
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030812213535
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000004962-03-000150
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030811
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030812

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ISEGHOHI THOMAS A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001209450

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07657
		FILM NUMBER:		03838964

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O AMERICAN EXPRESS CO
		STREET 2:		200 VESEY STREET MAIL STOP 01-50-01
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2126402000

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN EXPRESS CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000004962
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FINANCE SERVICES [6199]
		IRS NUMBER:				134922250
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NY
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2126402000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		200 VESEY STREET
		STREET 2:		50TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10285
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-08-11</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000004962</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN EXPRESS CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AXP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001209450</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ISEGHOHI THOMAS A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Corporate Comptroller</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>4500.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>36.49</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>30500.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Shares</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>4500.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>44.00</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>26000.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy) - 1/28/02</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
          <value>36.490</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2003-08-11</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>4500.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
          <value>2003-01-28</value>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
          <value>2012-01-27</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
          <underlyingSecurityTitle>
              <value>Common Shares</value>
          </underlyingSecurityTitle>
          <underlyingSecurityShares>
              <value>4500.000</value>
          </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>45500.000</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">In addition to the direct holdings shown above, Mr. Iseghohi also holds 56 shares indirectly under the Company's Incentive Savings Plan.  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>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Thomas  Iseghohi</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>Thomas Iseghohi</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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