2.2.0.25falsefalse06202 - Disclosure - Stock Plans (Details 2)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$5true0axp_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationShare based compensation arrangement by share based payment award fair value assumptions.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringShare based compensation arrangement by share based payment award fair value assumptions.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0180.018falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0410.041falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0150.015falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(c)
falsefalse7false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.410.41[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.360.36[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.190.19[1]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe estimated measure of the percentage amount by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(b)
falsefalse8false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truetruefalse0.0280.028falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0210.021falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0280.028falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureThe risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(d)
falsefalse9false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTermus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse6.26.2[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse4.84.8[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse4.74.7[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:decimalItemTypedecimalThe period of time a share-based award is expected to be outstanding. A share-based award's expected term shall be determined based on, among other factors, the instrument's contractual term and the effects of employees' expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. An entity is required to aggregate individual awards into relatively homogeneous groups.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph e(2)(a)
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 14
-Section D
-Subsection 2
falsefalse10false0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValueus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse14.1114.11falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse4.544.54falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse8.248.24falsetruefalsefalsefalseEPSus-types:perShareItemTypedecimalThe weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 123R
-Paragraph A240
-Subparagraph c(1)
falsetrue1The expected volatility is based on weighted historical and implied volatilities of the Company's common stock price.2In 2010, the expected life of stock options was determined using historical data and expectations of options currently outstanding. In 2009 and 2008, the expected life of stock options was determined using historical data.36Stock Plans (Details 2) (USD $)UnKnownUnKnownNoRoundingUnKnowntruetrue
