Loans and Accounts Receivable (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Card Member loans total aging	$ 83,655	$ 81,854
Card Member receivables total aging	56,625	55,893
Global Consumer Services Group [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Card Member loans total aging	69,810	69,458
Card Member receivables total aging	20,684	21,455
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	68,720	68,442
Card Member loans total aging	69,810	69,458
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	20,405	21,207
Card Member receivables total aging	20,684	21,455
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Financial Asset, 30 to 59 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	317	290
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Financial Asset, 30 to 59 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	89	80
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Financial Asset, 60 to 89 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	238	220
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| Financial Asset, 60 to 89 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	58	50
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	535	506
Global Consumer Services Group [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	132	118
Global Commercial Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Card Member loans total aging	13,845	12,396
Card Member receivables total aging	35,941	34,438
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	13,632	12,195
Card Member loans total aging	13,809	12,351
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Corporate Payments [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Card Member loans total aging	36	45
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Current	17,090	16,460
Card Member receivables total aging	17,379	16,728
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Corporate Payments [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Card Member receivables total aging	18,562	17,710
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Financial Asset, 30 to 59 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	54	51
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Financial Asset, 30 to 59 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	101	101
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Financial Asset, 60 to 89 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	38	32
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| Financial Asset, 60 to 89 Days Past Due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	59	53
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	85	73
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Loans [Member] \| Global Corporate Payments [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	0	0
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Small Business Services [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	129	114
Global Commercial Services [Member] \| 90+ days past due [Member] \| Card Member Receivables [Member] \| Global Corporate Payments [Member]
Financing receivable recorded investment aging
Period past due	$ 125	$ 129

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Amount of financing receivable not past due.

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Amount of financing receivable past due.

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Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

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