Loans and Accounts Receivable (Details 4) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	$ 235	$ 216
Non-accrual loans	162	150
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	228	199
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	162	113
Total impaired loans and receivables	787	678
Unpaid principal balance	729	632
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	84	73
Accounts Receivable and Loans Textuals [Abstract]
Total loans and receivables modified as a TDR, non-accrual	14	18
Total loans and receivables modified as a TDR, past due 90 days and still accruing	19	20
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program - success, Recorded Investment	123	84
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program - not compliant, Recorded Investment	39	29
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Impaired loans and receivables
Loans over 90 days past due and accruing interest	156	140
Non-accrual loans	133	124
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	168	149
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	124	89
Total impaired loans and receivables	581	502
Unpaid principal balance	532	463
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	50	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	5	3
Total impaired loans and receivables	14	14
Unpaid principal balance	14	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	52	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	52	52
Unpaid principal balance	51	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	27	24
Non-accrual loans	29	26
Financing Receivable, Modifications, In-Program, Recorded Investment	27	23
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	25	18
Total impaired loans and receivables	108	91
Unpaid principal balance	100	85
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	10	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	24	16
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Out of Program, Recorded Investment	8	3
Total impaired loans and receivables	32	19
Unpaid principal balance	32	19
Related allowance for Troubled Debt Restructurings	$ 18	$ 12