Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 1) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Loans segment information
Cardmember loans, gross	$ 61,750,000,000	$ 62,621,000,000
Less: Cardmember reserve for losses	1,459,000,000	1,874,000,000	2,139,000,000	3,646,000,000
Cardmember loans, net	60,291,000,000	60,747,000,000
Other loans, net	500,000,000	419,000,000
Variable Interest Enterprise [Member]
Loans segment information
Cardmember loans, gross	31,043,000,000	33,834,000,000
U S Card Services [Member]
Loans segment information
Cardmember loans, gross	52,865,000,000	53,686,000,000
U S Card Services [Member] | Variable Interest Enterprise [Member]
Accounts Receivable and Loans Textuals [Abstract]
Gross cardmember loans available to settle the obligations of a variable interest entity	31,000,000,000	33,800,000,000
International Card Services [Member]
Loans segment information
Cardmember loans, gross	8,853,000,000	8,901,000,000
Global Commercial Services [Member]
Loans segment information
Cardmember loans, gross	$ 32,000,000	$ 34,000,000