2.2.0.25truefalse062106 - Disclosure - Retirement Plans (Details 6)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Defined benefit pension plan cost [Member]
12/31/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010_Pension_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseDefined benefit pension plan cost [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Defined benefit pension plan cost [Member]
12/31/2009
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2009_Pension_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseDefined benefit pension plan cost [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Defined benefit pension plan cost [Member]
12/31/2008
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2008_Pension_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2008-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseDefined benefit pension plan cost [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2true0axp_AccumulatedAndProjectedBenefitObligationsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationAccumulated And Projected Benefit Obligations.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringAccumulated And Projected Benefit Obligations.falsefalse3false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligationus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse23530000002353falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse23270000002327falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryFor defined benefit pension plans, the actuarial present value of benefits (whether vested or nonvested) attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered before a specified date and based on employee service and compensation (if applicable) before that date. The accumulated benefit obligation differs from the projected benefit obligation in that it includes no assumption about future compensation levels. For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph e
falsefalse4false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligationus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse24350000002435falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse23950000002395falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse21340000002134falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetary1) For defined benefit pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value as of a date of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered prior to that date. The projected benefit obligation is measured using assumptions as to future compensation levels if the pension benefit formula is based on those future compensation levels (pay-related, final-pay, final-average-pay, or career-average-pay plans). For plans with flat-benefit or nonpay-related pension benefit formulas, the accumulated benefit obligation and the projected benefit obligation are the same. 2) For other postretirement defined benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered to a particular date. Prior to an employee's full eligibility date, the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of a particular date for an employee is the portion of the expected postretirement benefit obligation attributed to that employee's service rendered to that date; on and after the full eligibility date, the accumulated and expected postretirement benefit obligations for an employee are the same.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph a
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph a
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph E1
falsefalse5true0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateAccumulatedBenefitObligationus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse14070000001407falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse13690000001369falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIf aggregate disclosures are presented, the aggregate pension accumulated benefit obligation for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets as of the measurement date of each statement of financial position presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse7false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateFairValueOfPlanAssetsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse10910000001091falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10200000001020falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIf aggregate disclosures are presented, the aggregate fair value of plan assets for pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets as of the measurement date of each statement of financial position presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph b
falsefalse8true0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlansWithBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlansWithBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateBenefitObligationus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse24350000002435falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse23950000002395falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIf aggregate disclosures are presented, the aggregate benefit obligation for plans with benefit obligations in excess of plan assets as of the measurement date of each statement of financial position presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph a
falsefalse10false0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlansWithBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateFairValueOfPlanAssetsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse20520000002052falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19890000001989falsetruefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryIf aggregate disclosures are presented, the aggregate fair value of plan assets for plans with benefit obligations in excess of plan assets as of the measurement date of each statement of financial position presented.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph a
falsefalse39Retirement Plans (Details 6) (Defined benefit pension plan cost [Member], USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
