Non-Interest Revenue and Expense Detail (Details 1) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Details Of Certain Statements Of Income Lines Details [Abstract]
Gain on sale of investment in Concur Technologies	$ 744,000,000	$ 0	$ 0
Global Network Services partner revenues	694,000,000	650,000,000	664,000,000
Net realized gains on investment securities	100,000,000	136,000,000	126,000,000
Other	1,451,000,000axp_OtherRevenues	1,488,000,000axp_OtherRevenues	1,635,000,000axp_OtherRevenues
Total Other revenues	2,989,000,000	2,274,000,000	2,425,000,000
Gross realized losses on investment securities	$ 0	$ 0	$ 1,000,000

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Represents revenues received from Global Network Service partners on use of the American Express brand name.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents revenues from miscellaneous items within other revenues not previously classified.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the difference between the gross realized gains and losses realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. Additionally, this item would include any losses recognized for other than temporary impairments (OTTI) of the subject investments in debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27357-111563

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- Definition

This item represents the gross loss realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of an equity method investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents other forms of revenue earned, excluding interest, which is not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 13

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

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