|
Derivatives and Hedging Activities (Details 3) (USD $)
|
12 Months Ended |
|
Dec. 31, 2014
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
Dec. 31, 2012
|
| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |
|
|
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| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Pretax gains (losses) |
$ 198,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember |
$ 73,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember |
$ (58,000,000)us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember |
| Interest Expense [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |
|
|
|
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Pretax gains (losses) |
0us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
/ axp_TypeOfDebtAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember |
0us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
/ axp_TypeOfDebtAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
/ axp_TypeOfDebtAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember |
| Other Expense [Member] | Interest Rate Contract [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |
|
|
|
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Pretax gains (losses) |
0us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
1,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
| Other Expense [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |
|
|
|
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Pretax gains (losses) |
194,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
72,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
(56,000,000)us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherExpenseMember |
| Cost Of Card Member Services [Member] | Foreign exchange contracts [Member] |
|
|
|
| Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items] |
|
|
|
| Pretax gains (losses) |
$ 4,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= axp_CostOfCardMemberServicesMember |
$ 0us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= axp_CostOfCardMemberServicesMember |
$ 0us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= axp_CostOfCardMemberServicesMember |