Basis of Presentation (Details Textuals) $ in Millions					1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
		Feb. 01, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 07, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 20, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)		Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Ratio of combined earnings and fixed earnings to fixed charges required to maintain availability of credit line					1.25		1.25
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]				us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member
Decrease in Card Member receivable reserves					$ (184)		$ (184)			$ (162)
Shareholder’s equity					2,732	$ 2,591	2,732	$ 2,396		2,587		$ 2,306	$ 2,196
Sale of Card Member receivables	[1]						5,493
Removal of Card member receivables (U.S. consumer Card Member receivables)		$ 7,200				$ 7,200
Reduction in long term debt to affiliate		7,200
Amount borrowed from related party							2,397	203
Affiliated Entity [Member] | Restructuring of Loan Arrangements [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Amount borrowed from related party					7,100
Repayment of borrowings from related party					4,700
Excess deposited with AENB					2,200		2,200
Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Decrease in Card Member receivable reserves					(184)		(184)	$ (172)		(15)			$ (167)
Adoption of new accounting guidance, tax				$ 21
Shareholder’s equity				119						119	[2]
Card Member Loans [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Increase in Card Member loan reserves				7
Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Decrease in Card Member receivable reserves					$ (184)		$ (184)			$ (162)
Card Member Receivables [Member] | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Decrease in Card Member receivable reserves				$ 147
Card Member Receivables [Member] | Global Consumer Services Group [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Removal of Card member receivables (U.S. consumer Card Member receivables)		7,200
Card Member Receivables [Member] | Global Corporate Payments [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Sale of Card Member receivables			$ 5,200
Transfer of Card Member receivables		$ 5,200							$ 1,700

[1] Primarily driven by removal of U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Member receivables from the American Express Issuance Trust II (the Charge Trust) and replacement of the same with U.S. Corporate Card Member receivables by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (TRS) during the three months ended March 31, 2020. To effect this change, on January 7, 2020, Credco sold $5.2 billion of U.S. Corporate Card Member receivables to TRS. Settlement of this transaction was undertaken through borrowings from American Express Company.

[2] Represents $140 million, net of tax of $21 million, related to the impact as of January 1, 2020, of adopting the new accounting guidance for the recognition of credit losses on certain financial instruments.