Asset Securitizations (Details Textuals) - USD ($) $ in Billions	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
American Express Lending Trust [Member]
Securitized Trusts [Line Items]
Subordinated securities owned	$ 1.0	$ 1.0

Represents subordinated interests in the securitized cardmember loans, including rated and unrated investments in tranches of the securitization (subordinated securities).

No definition available.

Name:	axp_SubordinatedSecuritiesOwned
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant