v2.4.1.9
Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Non-interest revenues    
Discount revenue $ 4,660us-gaap_MerchantDiscountFees $ 4,620us-gaap_MerchantDiscountFees
Net card fees 667us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsCreditCards 674us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsCreditCards
Travel commissions and fees 89axp_TravelCommissionsAndFees 423axp_TravelCommissionsAndFees
Other commissions and fees 619us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsOther 618us-gaap_FeesAndCommissionsOther
Other 468us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome 501us-gaap_NoninterestIncomeOtherOperatingIncome
Total non-interest revenues 6,503us-gaap_NoninterestIncome 6,836us-gaap_NoninterestIncome
Interest income    
Interest on loans 1,795us-gaap_InterestAndFeeIncomeLoansAndLeases 1,711us-gaap_InterestAndFeeIncomeLoansAndLeases
Interest and dividends on investment securities 41us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeSecurities 46us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeSecurities
Deposits with banks and other 21us-gaap_InterestIncomeDepositsWithFinancialInstitutions 19us-gaap_InterestIncomeDepositsWithFinancialInstitutions
Total interest income 1,857us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeOperating 1,776us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeOperating
Interest expense    
Deposits 103us-gaap_InterestExpenseDeposits 94us-gaap_InterestExpenseDeposits
Long-term debt and other 307us-gaap_InterestExpenseLongTermDebt 345us-gaap_InterestExpenseLongTermDebt
Total interest expense 410us-gaap_InterestExpense 439us-gaap_InterestExpense
Net interest income 1,447us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet 1,337us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Total revenues net of interest expense 7,950axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense 8,173axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpense
Provisions for losses    
Charge card 174us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts 215us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Card Member loans 235us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLosses 250us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLosses
Other 11us-gaap_ProvisionForOtherLosses 20us-gaap_ProvisionForOtherLosses
Total provisions for losses 420us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses 485us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
Total revenues net of interest expense after provisions for losses 7,530axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpenseAfterProvisionsForLosses 7,688axp_TotalRevenuesNetOfInterestExpenseAfterProvisionsForLosses
Expenses    
Marketing and promotion 609axp_MarketingAndPromotion 587axp_MarketingAndPromotion
Card Member Rewards 1,640axp_CardMemberRewards 1,582axp_CardMemberRewards
Card Member services and other 261axp_CardMemberServicesAndOther 222axp_CardMemberServicesAndOther
Salaries and employee benefits 1,305us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense 1,540us-gaap_LaborAndRelatedExpense
Other, net 1,399us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense 1,549us-gaap_OtherNoninterestExpense
Total expenses 5,214us-gaap_NoninterestExpense 5,480us-gaap_NoninterestExpense
Pretax income 2,316us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 2,208us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Income tax provision 791us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 776us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net income $ 1,525us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss $ 1,432us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Earnings Per Common Share, Basic [Abstract]    
Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders $ 1.49us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare [1] $ 1.34us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare [1]
Earnings Per Common Share, Diluted [Abstract]    
Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders $ 1.48us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare [1] $ 1.33us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare [1]
Average common shares outstanding for earnings per common share:    
Basic 1,019us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic [1] 1,060us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic [1]
Diluted 1,023us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding [1] 1,067us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding [1]
Cash dividends declared per common share $ 0.26us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared [1] $ 0.23us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared [1]
[1]

Representsnet income less earnings allocated to participating share awards of $11 million and $12 million forthe three months endedMarch 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.