Accounts Receivable and Loans (Details 4) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	$ 217	$ 216
Non-accrual loans	149	150
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	199	199
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	127	113
Total impaired loans and receivables	692	678
Unpaid principal balance	644	632
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	72	73
Accounts Receivable and Loans Textuals [Abstract]
Total loans and receivables modified as a TDR, non-accrual	15	18
Total loans and receivables modified as a TDR, past due 90 days and still accruing	18	20
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program - success, Recorded Investment	98	84
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program - not compliant, Recorded Investment	29	29
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	139	140
Non-accrual loans	123	124
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	147	149
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	99	89
Total impaired loans and receivables	508	502
Unpaid principal balance	469	463
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	44	44
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	0	0
Non-accrual loans	0	0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	9	11
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	4	3
Total impaired loans and receivables	13	14
Unpaid principal balance	13	14
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	6	8
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	54	52
Non-accrual loans	0	0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	0	0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	0	0
Total impaired loans and receivables	54	52
Unpaid principal balance	53	51
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	0	0
Global Commercial Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	24	24
Non-accrual loans	26	26
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	23	23
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	19	18
Total impaired loans and receivables	92	91
Unpaid principal balance	85	85
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	8	9
Global Commercial Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	0	0
Non-accrual loans	0	0
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	20	16
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	5	3
Total impaired loans and receivables	25	19
Unpaid principal balance	24	19
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	$ 14	$ 12