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Other Assets (Details 1) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance $ 3,198us-gaap_Goodwill $ 3,181us-gaap_Goodwill
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
Dispositions (102)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
Other, including foreign currency translation (72)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments 17us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
Goodwill, Ending Balance 3,024us-gaap_Goodwill 3,198us-gaap_Goodwill
U S Card Services [Member]    
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance 174us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
175us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
Dispositions 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
Other, including foreign currency translation 0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
(1)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
Goodwill, Ending Balance 174us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
174us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_USCardServicesMember
International Card Services [Member]    
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance 1,052us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
1,031us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Dispositions 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Other, including foreign currency translation (70)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
21us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Goodwill, Ending Balance 982us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
1,052us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_InternationalCardServicesMember
Global Commercial Services [Member]    
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance 1,543us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
1,544us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Dispositions (102)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Other, including foreign currency translation 0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
(1)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Goodwill, Ending Balance 1,441us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
1,543us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember
Global Network And Merchant Services [Member]    
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance 160us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
160us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
Dispositions 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
Other, including foreign currency translation 0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
Goodwill, Ending Balance 160us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
160us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember
Corporate and Other [Member]    
Goodwill [Roll Forward]    
Goodwill, Beginning Balance 269us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
271us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
Acquisitions 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
Dispositions 0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
Other, including foreign currency translation (2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
(2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
Goodwill, Ending Balance $ 267us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember
$ 269us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember