v2.4.1.9
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (USD $)
Total
Common Shares
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income [Member]
Retained Earnings [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011 $ 18,794,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity $ 232,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 $ 12,217,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		 $ (876,000,000)us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		 $ 7,221,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Net income 4,482,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss       4,482,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other comprehensive (loss) income (51,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax     (51,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		  
Preferred shares issued 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock        
Repurchase of common shares (4,000,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod (14,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 (765,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (3,221,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other changes, primarily employee plans 570,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther 3,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 615,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (48,000,000)axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Cash dividends declared          
Cash dividends declared common, per share (909,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock       (909,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2012 18,886,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity 221,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 12,067,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		 (927,000,000)us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		 7,525,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Net income 5,359,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss       5,359,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other comprehensive (loss) income (499,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax     (499,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		  
Preferred shares issued 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock        
Repurchase of common shares (4,000,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod (11,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 (648,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (3,341,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other changes, primarily employee plans 717,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther 3,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 783,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (69,000,000)axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Cash dividends declared          
Cash dividends declared common, per share (967,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock       (967,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2013 19,496,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity 213,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 12,202,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		 (1,426,000,000)us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		 8,507,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Net income 5,885,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss       5,885,000,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other comprehensive (loss) income (493,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax     (493,000,000)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		  
Preferred shares issued 742,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock   742,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfPreferredStockAndPreferenceStock
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		    
Repurchase of common shares (4,378,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod (10,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 (604,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (3,764,000,000)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Other changes, primarily employee plans 476,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther 2,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 534,000,000axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		   (60,000,000)axp_OtherChangesDuringPeriodPrimarilyEmployeePlansAndOther
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Cash dividends declared          
Cash dividends declared common, per share (1,055,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock       (1,055,000,000)us-gaap_DividendsCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2014 $ 20,673,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity $ 205,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember		 $ 12,874,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapitalMember		 $ (1,919,000,000)us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember		 $ 9,513,000,000us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_RetainedEarningsMember