XML 29 R124.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Restructuring Charges (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Restructuring Charges          
Beginning Balance     $ 233,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve $ 470,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve $ 200,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
Restructuring charges, net of revisions 313,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost 133,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost 411,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost (4,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost 403,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
Payments     (115,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring (229,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring (133,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
Other non-cash     (59,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment (4,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment  
Ending Balance 470,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve   470,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve 233,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve 470,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
U S Card Services [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     38,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
   
International Card Services [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     139,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
   
Global Commercial Services [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     54,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
   
Global Network And Merchant Services [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     25,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
   
Corporate and Other [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     155,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
   
Employee Severance [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Beginning Balance     196,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
412,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
170,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     383,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
(7,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
366,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
Payments     (93,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
(206,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
(124,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
Other non-cash     (51,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
(3,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
 
Ending Balance 435,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
  435,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
196,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
412,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
Other Terminations [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Beginning Balance     37,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
58,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
30,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     28,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
3,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
37,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
Payments     (22,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
(23,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
(9,000,000)us-gaap_PaymentsForRestructuring
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
Other non-cash     (8,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
(1,000,000)us-gaap_RestructuringReserveTranslationAndOtherAdjustment
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
 
Ending Balance 35,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
  35,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
37,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
58,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_OtherTerminationsMember
GBT JV [Member]          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     42,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= axp_GbtJvMember
   
Foreign exchange and other non-cash charges          
Restructuring Charges          
Restructuring charges, net of revisions     $ 17,000,000us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_OtherRestructuringMember