Name:	axp_FairValuesTextualsAbstract
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Financial assets for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value include cash and cash equivalents, cardmember receivables, accrued interest, and certain other assets. For these assets, the carrying values approximate fair value because they are short-term in duration or variable rate in nature.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_FinancialInstrumentsAssetsWhichCarryingValuesEqualOrApproximateFairValueAbstract
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Financial liabilities for which carrying values equal or approximate fair value include accrued interest, customer deposits (excluding certificates of deposit), Travelers Cheques outstanding, short-term borrowings, and certain other liabilities for which the carrying values approximate fair value because they are short-term in duration, variable rate in nature, or have no defined maturity.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_FinancialInstrumentsLiabilitiesWhichCarryingValuesEqualOrApproximateFairValue
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- References

No definition available.

Name:	axp_LiabilitiesCarriedAtOtherThanFairValueAbstract
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Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes 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.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Fair value portion of deposit liabilities held by the entity, including, but not limited to, foreign and domestic, interest and noninterest bearing, demand deposits, saving deposits, negotiable orders of withdrawal (NOW) and time deposits.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DepositsFairValueDisclosure
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsFinancialLiabilitiesBalanceSheetGroupingsAbstract
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Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196772

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The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount, before allowance for credit loss, of financing receivable.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 79
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121647567&loc=SL82922352-210448

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919230-210447

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 80
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121647567&loc=SL82922355-210448

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Fair value portion of other assets.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberReceivablesMember
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Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByClassOfFinancingReceivableAxis=axp_CardmemberLoansMember
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Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
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Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
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Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
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Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
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