Outstanding Loans and Leases (Details 5) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Renegotiated Consumer Credit Card Domestic Held Loans	$ 8,200,000,000	$ 8,200,000,000	$ 11,400,000,000
Renegotiated Portfolio Related Portfolio	6,300,000,000	6,300,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Direct And Indirect Consumer Financing Receivable [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	1,348,000,000	1,348,000,000	1,858,000,000
Percentage Of Balances Current Or Less Than 30 Days Past Due	80.28%	80.28%	78.81%
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	42,000,000	187,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Direct And Indirect Consumer Financing Receivable [Member] | Internal Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	890,000,000	890,000,000	1,222,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	22,000,000	107,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Direct And Indirect Consumer Financing Receivable [Member] | External Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	431,000,000	431,000,000	531,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	20,000,000	79,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Direct And Indirect Consumer Financing Receivable [Member] | Other Program [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	27,000,000	27,000,000	105,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	0	1,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	431,000,000	1,353,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | UNITED STATES
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	6,107,000,000	6,107,000,000	8,766,000,000
Percentage Of Balances Current Or Less Than 30 Days Past Due	79.19%	79.19%	77.66%
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	227,000,000	812,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | UNITED STATES | Internal Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	4,412,000,000	4,412,000,000	6,592,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	122,000,000	454,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | UNITED STATES | External Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	1,585,000,000	1,585,000,000	1,927,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	103,000,000	355,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | UNITED STATES | Other Program [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	110,000,000	110,000,000	247,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	2,000,000	3,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Foreign [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	696,000,000	696,000,000	797,000,000
Percentage Of Balances Current Or Less Than 30 Days Past Due	52.55%	52.55%	58.86%
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	162,000,000	354,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Foreign [Member] | Internal Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	231,000,000	231,000,000	282,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	83,000,000	179,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Foreign [Member] | External Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	133,000,000	133,000,000	176,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	79,000,000	174,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Foreign [Member] | Other Program [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	332,000,000	332,000,000	339,000,000
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	0	1,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Internal Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	227,000,000	740,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | External Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	202,000,000	608,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Credit Card Financing Receivable [Member] | Other Program [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Troubled Debt Restructurings Carrying Value	2,000,000	5,000,000
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	8,151,000,000	8,151,000,000	11,421,000,000
Percentage Of Balances Current Or Less Than 30 Days Past Due	77.10%	77.10%	76.51%
Internal Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	5,533,000,000	5,533,000,000	8,096,000,000
External Programs [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	2,149,000,000	2,149,000,000	2,634,000,000
Other Program [Member]
Renegotiated TDR Portfolio
Financing Receivable, Modifications, Post-Modification Recorded Investment	$ 469,000,000	$ 469,000,000	$ 691,000,000