|
Other Assets (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
|
12 Months Ended |
|
Dec. 31, 2014
|
Dec. 31, 2013
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
$ 3,198us-gaap_Goodwill |
$ 3,181us-gaap_Goodwill |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod |
| Dispositions |
(102)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
(72)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments |
17us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
3,024us-gaap_Goodwill |
3,198us-gaap_Goodwill |
| U S Card Services [Member] |
|
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
174us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
175us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
| Dispositions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
(1)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
174us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
174us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_USCardServicesMember |
| International Card Services [Member] |
|
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
1,052us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
1,031us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
| Dispositions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
(70)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
21us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
982us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
1,052us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_InternationalCardServicesMember |
| Global Commercial Services [Member] |
|
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
1,543us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
1,544us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
| Dispositions |
(102)us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
(1)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
1,441us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
1,543us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalCommercialServicesMember |
| Global Network And Merchant Services [Member] |
|
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
160us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
160us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
| Dispositions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
160us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
160us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = axp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMember |
| Corporate and Other [Member] |
|
|
| Goodwill [Roll Forward] |
|
|
| Goodwill, Beginning Balance |
269us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
271us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
| Acquisitions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
| Dispositions |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
0us-gaap_GoodwillWrittenOffRelatedToSaleOfBusinessUnit / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
| Other, including foreign currency translation |
(2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
(2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAndPurchaseAccountingAdjustments / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
| Goodwill, Ending Balance |
$ 267us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |
$ 269us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = us-gaap_CorporateAndOtherMember |