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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 146
-Paragraph 20
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 95-3
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 3, 4
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 95-3
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 3, 4
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 146
falsefalse9false0axp_RestructuringAndRelatedCostExpectedCostLowerRangeaxpfalsedebitdurationThe estimated minimum amount expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse6000000060falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse16falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse17falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse18falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse19falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse20falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe estimated minimum amount expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0axp_RestructuringAndRelatedCostExpectedCostUpperRangeaxpfalsedebitdurationThe estimated maximum amount expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse8000000080falsetruefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse10falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse16falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse17falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse18falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse19falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse20falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe estimated maximum amount expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse11false0axp_RestructuringAndRelatedCostExpectedCostPercentageaxpfalsenadurationThe percentage by type expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse6truetruefalse0.730.73falsefalsefalsetruefalse7truetruefalse0.050.05falsefalsefalsetruefalse8truetruefalse0.120.12falsefalsefalsetruefalse9truetruefalse0.100.10falsefalsefalsetruefalse10falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse11falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse12falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse13falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse14truetruefalse0.400.40falsefalsefalsetruefalse15falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse16falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse17truetruefalse0.600.60falsefalsefalsetruefalse18falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse19falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse20falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe percentage by type expected to be charged against earnings in future periods for the specified restructuring cost.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse1Net adjustments of $27 million were recorded in the Company's reportable operating segments as follows: $4 million in USCS, $13 million in ICS, $(2) million in GCS, and $12 million in Corporate & Other. These adjustments primarily relate to higher employee redeployments to other positions within the Company, business changes and modifications to existing initiatives.2Adjustments primarily relate to higher than anticipated redeployments of displaced employees to other positions within the Company. 3Includes $17 million related to discontinued operations. 4Accounted for in accordance with the GAAP governing the accounting for nonretirement postemployment benefits and for costs associated with exit or disposal activities.2010Restructuring Charges (Details Textuals) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
