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Investment Securities (Details 2) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
securities
Dec. 31, 2013
securities
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions [Abstract]    
Number of securities, less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear 241us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear
Number of securities, 12 months or more 15us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear 11us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear
Number of securities, total 15us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1 252us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]    
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months $ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue $ 1,759,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 105,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue 123,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Estimated Fair Value, Total 105,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue 1,882,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract]    
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses (67,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more (3,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses (17,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total (3,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses (84,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
Ratio Of Fair Value To Amortized Cost Between Ninety And One Hundred Percent [Member]    
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions [Abstract]    
Number of securities, less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
228us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Number of securities, 12 months or more 15us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
6us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Number of securities, total 15us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
234us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]    
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
1,665,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 105,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
24,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Estimated Fair Value, Total 105,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
1,689,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract]    
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
(53,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more (3,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
(2,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total (3,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
(55,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Ratio Of Fair Value To Amortized Cost Less Than Ninety Percent [Member]    
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions [Abstract]    
Number of securities, less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
13us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsLessThanOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Number of securities, 12 months or more 0us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
5us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositionsGreaterThanOrEqualToOneYear
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Number of securities, total 0us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
18us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Abstract]    
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
94,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
99,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Estimated Fair Value, Total 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
193,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract]    
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
(14,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
(15,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total $ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember
$ (29,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
/ axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis
= axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostLessThanNinetyPercentMember