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USD ($) / shares
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USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
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USD ($) / 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$3true0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsTaxRateReconciliationAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.350.35falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe domestic federal statutory tax rate applicable under enacted tax laws to the Company's pretax income from continuing operations for the period. The "statutory" tax rate shall be the regular tax rate if there are alternative tax systems.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 47
falsefalse5true0axp_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsIncreaseDecreaseInTaxRateAbstractaxpfalsenadurationEffective income tax rate continuing operations increase decrease in tax rate.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringEffective income tax rate continuing operations increase decrease in tax rate.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxExemptIncomeus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0190.019falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.046-0.046falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse-0.039-0.039falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to income that is exempt from income taxes under enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxesus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0270.027falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0270.027falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0160.016falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate that can be explained by the state and local income tax expense (benefit), net of the federal tax benefit (expense) thereon, recorded during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationRepatriationOfForeignEarningsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse-0.031-0.031falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.068-0.068falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse-0.084-0.084falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to the repatriation of foreign earnings under enacted tax laws.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationTaxSettlementsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse-0.013-0.013[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.014-0.014[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse-0.055-0.055[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe sum of the differences between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all income tax settlements during the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationOtherAdjustmentsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0060.006falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse-0.001-0.001falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0100.010falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe portion of the difference between the effective income tax rate and domestic federal statutory income tax rate attributable to all other items not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse11false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuingOperationsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truetruefalse0.3200.320falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.2480.248falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.1980.198falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureA ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 109
-Paragraph 47
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 08
-Paragraph h
-Subparagraph 2
-Article 4
truefalse1Relates to the resolution of tax matters in various jurisdictions.39Income Taxes (Details 1)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue
