2.2.0.25falsefalse0614 - Disclosure - Common and Preferred Shares and Warrants (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$Jan-01-2010_Dec-31-2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008
USD ($) / shares
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00USDEPSDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3true0axp_ScheduleOfStockByClassAbstractaxpfalsenadurationSchedule of stock by class.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringSchedule of stock by class.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorizedus-gaaptruenainstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse36000000003600000000[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse36000000003600000000[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse36000000003600000000[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 30
-Article 5
falsefalse5false0axp_CommonStockSharesIssuedAndOutstandingaxpfalsenainstantCommon shares issued represents the total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalsefalseperiodstartlabel1truefalsefalse11920000001192000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse11600000001160000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse11580000001158000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesCommon shares issued represents the total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). Common shares outstanding include the total number of shares of common stock held by shareholders.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0axp_IssuanceRepurchasesOfCommonSharesaxpfalsenadurationRepresents the issuance or (repurchases) of common shares during the period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse-14000000-14000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2200000022000000[2],[3]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-5000000-5000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesRepresents the issuance or (repurchases) of common shares during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0axp_CommonStockSharesOtheraxpfalsenadurationRepresents the issuance of common shares during the period due to stock option exercises and restricted stock awards granted.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse1900000019000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1000000010000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse70000007000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesRepresents the issuance of common shares during the period due to stock option exercises and restricted stock awards granted.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0axp_CommonStockSharesIssuedAndOutstandingaxpfalsenainstantCommon shares issued represents the total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalseperiodendlabel1truefalsefalse11970000001197000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse11920000001192000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse11600000001160000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesCommon shares issued represents the total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). Common shares outstanding include the total number of shares of common stock held by shareholders.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuanceus-gaaptruenainstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse104000000104000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseSharesxbrli:sharesItemTypesharesAggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 129
-Paragraph 4
falsefalse1Of the common shares authorized but unissued as of December 31, 2010, approximately 104 million shares were reserved for issuance under employee stock and employee benefit plans. 2For cardmember receivables in International Card Services and Global Commercial Services, delinquency data is tracked based on days past billing status rather than days past due. A cardmember account is considered 90 days past billing if payment has not been received within 90 days of the cardmember's billing statement date. In addition, if the Company initiates collection procedures on an account prior to the account becoming 90 days past billing the associated cardmember receivable balance is considered as 90 days past billing. These amounts are shown above as 90+ Days Past Due for presentation purposes. Historically, data for periods prior to 90 days past billing are not available due to system constraints. Therefore, it has not been utilized for risk management purposes. The balances that are current - 89 days past due can be derived as difference between the Total and the 90+ Days Past Due balances3Historically, data for periods prior to 90 days past billing are not available due to system constraints. Therefore, it has not been utilized for risk management purposes. The balances that are current - 89 days past due can be derived as the difference between the Total and the 90+ Days Past Due balances.37Common and Preferred Shares and Warrants (Details)UnKnownNoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
