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Investment Securities (Details 1) (USD $)
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12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
$ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue |
$ 1,759,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
105,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue |
123,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses |
(67,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
(3,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses |
(17,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses |
| State and municipal obligations [Member] |
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
1,320,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
72,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
106,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
(63,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
(2,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
(16,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member] |
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
208,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember |
| U.S. Government treasury obligations [Member] |
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
166,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember |
| Mortgage-backed securities [Member] |
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
35,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesIssuedByUSGovernmentSponsoredEnterprisesMember |
| Other [Member] |
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| Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time |
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| Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
30,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
33,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
17,000,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses [Abstract] |
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| Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
(1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
$ (1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |
$ (1,000,000)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_AvailabeForSaleSecuritiesOtherMember |