Debt (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 42,573	$ 38,675
Unamortized Underwriting Fees	(84)
Long-term Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 42,573	$ 38,675
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	3.42%	2.22%
Unamortized Underwriting Fees	$ (84)	$ (52)
Parent Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	29,432	22,314
Fixed Rate Senior Notes | Parent Company | Long-term Debt | American Express Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 23,813	$ 18,324
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	3.34%	3.02%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	4.00%	2.03%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | American Express Credit Corporation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 328	$ 2,078
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	3.30%	2.80%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	1.32%
Fixed Rate Senior Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | Lending Trust
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 10,499	$ 8,199
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	2.81%	2.01%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	1.82%
Floating Rate Senior Notes | Parent Company | Long-term Debt | American Express Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 3,000	$ 3,300
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	4.78%	0.69%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | American Express Credit Corporation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 0	$ 300
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	0.00%	0.87%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Senior Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | Lending Trust
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 2,125	$ 3,325
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	4.67%	0.49%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Fixed-to-Floating Rate Senior Notes | Parent Company | Long-term Debt | American Express Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 1,250	$ 0
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	4.42%	0.00%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes | Parent Company | Long-term Debt | American Express Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 574	$ 599
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	3.63%	3.63%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	5.46%	1.38%
Fixed Rate Subordinated Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | Lending Trust
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 0	$ 212
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	0.00%	2.72%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes | Parent Company | Long-term Debt | American Express Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 750	$ 0
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	4.99%	0.00%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | Lending Trust
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 61	$ 79
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	4.89%	0.68%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes | Charge Trust
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 0	$ 2,000
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Subordinated Notes | Charge Trust | Long-term Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	0.00%	0.40%
Fixed Rate Instruments | Subsidiaries | Financed Leases | Long-term Debt | Other Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 3	$ 14
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	5.76%	5.49%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%
Floating Rate Borrowings | Subsidiaries | Long-term Debt | Other Subsidiaries
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding balance	$ 254	$ 297
Year-End Stated Rate on Debt (as a percent)	0.41%	0.42%
Year-End Interest Rate with Swaps (as a percent)	0.00%	0.00%