Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions			9 Months Ended
		Jan. 07, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash and cash equivalents reconciliation
Cash and cash equivalents per Consolidated Balance Sheets			$ 684	$ 1,133	$ 601	$ 149
Restricted cash included in Cash and cash equivalents	[1]		119	114	120	116
Total Cash and cash equivalents excluding restricted cash	[2]		565	1,019	481	$ 33
Non-cash Investing activities
Sales of U.S. Corporate Card Member receivables to TRS	[3]		0	5,493
Lending to American Express Company	[3]		0	(416)
Non-cash Financing activities
Settlement of borrowings with American Express Company			1,319		$ 822
Card Member Receivables | Global Corporate Payments
Non-cash Investing activities
Sales of U.S. Corporate Card Member receivables to TRS		$ 5,200
Settlement of Borrowings with American Express Company
Non-cash Financing activities
Settlement of borrowings with American Express Company	[3]		$ 0	$ (5,077)

[1] Represents cash deposited with Amex Bank of Canada relating to the purchase of Card Member receivables and the collateralized loan arrangement for transfer of Card Member loans.

[2] ncludes deposits with American Express National Bank and as of September 30,2021, also includes reverse repurchase agreements.

[3] During the nine months ended September 30, 2020, American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (TRS) removed U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Member receivables from the American Express Issuance Trust II (the Charge Trust) and substantially replaced them with U.S. Corporate Card Member receivables. 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.