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Investment Securities (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
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3 Months Ended |
12 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2015
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Dec. 31, 2014
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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 |
$ 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
73us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue |
105us-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 |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
(2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses |
(3)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses |
| U.S. States and Political Subdivisions Debt 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_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
40us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
72us-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 |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
(1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
(2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember |
| 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_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
| Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more |
33us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
33us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
| 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_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
| Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more |
$ (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |
$ (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = axp_OtherInvestmentSecuritiesMember |