2.2.0.25truefalse0602 - Disclosure - Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/15/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_15Jan2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-01-15T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Accertify Acquisition [Member]
11/10/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_10Nov2010_Accertify_Acquisition_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-11-10T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseAccertify Acquisition [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_AccertifyAcquisitionMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Accertify Acquisition [Member]
{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Global Network And Merchant Services [Member]
11/10/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_10Nov2010_Accertify_Acquisition_Member_Global_Network_And_Merchant_Services_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-11-10T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseAccertify Acquisition [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_AccertifyAcquisitionMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberfalsefalseGlobal Network And Merchant Services [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Revolution Money Acquisition [Member]
{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Corporate and Other [Member]
1/15/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_15Jan2010_Revolution_Money_Acquisition_Member_Corporate_And_Other_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-01-15T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseRevolution Money Acquisition [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_RevolutionMoneyAcquisitionMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberfalsefalseCorporate and Other [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_CorporateAndOtherMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis} : Corporate Payment Services Purchase [Member]
{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Global Commercial Services [Member]
3/28/2008
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_28Mar2008_Corporate_Payment_Services_Purchase_Member_Global_Commercial_Services_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2008-03-28T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseCorporate Payment Services Purchase [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_CorporatePaymentServicesPurchaseMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberfalsefalseGlobal Commercial Services [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_GlobalCommercialServicesMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionEntityAcquiredAndReasonForAcquisitionAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillAmountus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse131000000131000000falsetruefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse184000000184000000falsetruefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse818000000818000000falsetruefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of goodwill arising from a business combination, which is the excess of the cost of the acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 52
-Subparagraph c
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 53
-Subparagraph d
falsefalse4false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationAmortizableIntangibleAssetsus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse1500000015000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse119000000119000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse232000000232000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to an identifiable intangible asset that will be amortized.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 52
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph e
falsefalse5false0axp_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationOtherMiscellaenousNetAssetsaxpfalsedebitinstantAssets acquired, other than goodwill and intangible assets, (less associated liabilities) in the business combination.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse1100000011000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse70000007000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse12590000001259000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAssets acquired, other than goodwill and intangible assets, (less associated liabilities) in the business combination.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationAssetsAcquiredus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse157000000157000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse310000000310000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse23090000002309000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to assets acquired.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 37
-Subparagraph g
truefalse7false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationLiabilitiesAssumedus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse66falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse55falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse6500000065000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of acquisition cost of a business combination allocated to liabilities assumed.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 37
-Subparagraph g
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)
-Number 98-1
falsefalse8false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationAssetsAcquiredLiabilitiesAssumedNetus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3truefalsefalse151000000151000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse4truefalsefalse305000000305000000falsefalsefalsetruefalse5truefalsefalse22440000002244000000falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total purchase price of the acquired entity. This includes cash paid to equity interest holders of the acquired entity, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to equity holders of the acquired entity, and transaction costs paid to third parties to consummate the acquisition.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 35
truefalse9true0axp_AcquisitionAndDiscontinuedOperationTextualsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationAcquisition and discontinued operation.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringAcquisition and discontinued operation.falsefalse10false0us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityCashPaidus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse305000000305000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse151000000151000000falsetruefalsetruefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAmount of cash paid to acquire the entity.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141R
-Paragraph 68
-Subparagraph f(1)
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
falsefalse59Acquisitions and Discontinued Operations (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue