2.2.0.25falsefalse0611 - Disclosure - Other liabilities (Details)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2009
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3true0us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesUnclassifiedAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse4false0axp_MembershipRewardsLiabilitiesaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to the estimated cost of points earned to date that are ultimately expected to be redeemed.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse45000000004500falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse43030000004303falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to the estimated cost of points earned to date that are ultimately expected to be redeemed.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0axp_EmployeesRelatedLiabilitiesaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to employee-related liabilities including benefit plan obligations and incentive compensation.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse20260000002026[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse18770000001877[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to employee-related liabilities including benefit plan obligations and incentive compensation.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0axp_BookOverdraftBalancesaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to book overdraft balances that occur due to timing differences arising in the ordinary course of...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse15380000001538falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse14220000001422falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to book overdraft balances that occur due to timing differences arising in the ordinary course of business.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0axp_RebateAccrualsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to rebate accruals including payments to third-party card issuing partners and cash-back reward...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse14750000001475[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse13090000001309[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to rebate accruals including payments to third-party card issuing partners and cash-back reward costs.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0axp_DeferredChargeCardFeesNetaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents the carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees, net of direct acquisition costs and reserves for...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse10360000001036falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10340000001034falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees, net of direct acquisition costs and reserves for membership cancellations.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0axp_LiabilitiesOtheraxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to other liabilities including accruals for general operating expenses, advertising and promotion,...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse53710000005371[3]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse47850000004785[3]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to other liabilities including accruals for general operating expenses, advertising and promotion, derivatives, restructuring and reengineering reserves, and minority interest in subsidiaries.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse1594600000015946falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1473000000014730falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount as of the balance sheet date of liabilities not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Also serves as the sum of liabilities not individually reported in the financial statements, or not separately disclosed in notes.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 15
-Article 9
truefalse11true0axp_DeferredChargeCardFeesAbstractaxpfalsenadurationDeferredChargeCardFeesAbstract.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringDeferredChargeCardFeesAbstract.falsefalse12false0axp_DeferredChargeCardAndOtherFeesaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to deferred charges and other fees including deferred fees for Membership Reward program...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse11940000001194[4]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse12130000001213[4]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to deferred charges and other fees including deferred fees for Membership Reward program participants.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse13false0axp_DeferredDirectAcquisitionCostsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents amounts related to deferred direct acquisition costs including deferred direct acquisition costs that are...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse-67000000-67falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-60000000-60falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents amounts related to deferred direct acquisition costs including deferred direct acquisition costs that are associated with acquiring new cardmembers.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse14false0axp_ReservesForMembershipCancellationsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents estimated fees refundable to cardmembers if they cancel their card.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse-91000000-91falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-119000000-119falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents estimated fees refundable to cardmembers if they cancel their card.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse15false0axp_DeferredChargeCardFeesNetaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents the carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees, net of direct acquisition costs and reserves for...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse10360000001036falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10340000001034falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the carrying amount of deferred charge card and other fees, net of direct acquisition costs and reserves for membership cancellations.No authoritative reference available.truefalse1Employee-related liabilities include employee benefit plan obligations and incentive compensation. 2Rebate accruals include payments to third-party card issuing partners and cash-back reward costs. 3Other includes accruals for general operating expenses, litigation, client incentives, advertising and promotion, derivatives, restructuring and reengineering reserves.4Includes deferred fees for Membership Reward program participants213Other liabilities (Details) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
