Amount of cash and cash equivalents restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(1))
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Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
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Reference 4: 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(1)(a))
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Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Name:	us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Asset Securitizations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in Other assets per Consolidated Balance Sheets	$ 2,597	$ 514	$ 1,088	$ 363
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in Other assets per Consolidated Balance Sheets	2,065	85
American Express Lending Trust [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in Other assets per Consolidated Balance Sheets	2,065	85
American Express Charge Trust [Member] \| Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets from Trusts [Line Items]
Restricted cash included in Other assets per Consolidated Balance Sheets	$ 0	$ 0