2.2.0.25truefalse06051 - Disclosure - Reserves for Losses (Details 1)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 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 ($) / shares
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USD ($) / shares
USD ($)
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12/31/2009
USD ($)
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12/31/2008
USD ($)
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12/31/2007
USD ($)
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12/31/2009
USD ($)
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12/31/2008
USD ($)
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12/31/2007
USD ($)
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available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringA roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.falsefalse3false0axp_CardmemberLoansReservesaxpfalsecreditinstantReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's...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:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's outstanding portfolio of loans.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0axp_CardmemberLoansReservesaxpfalsecreditinstantReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's...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:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's outstanding portfolio of loans.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5true0axp_ProvisionsForLossesCardmemberLoansAdditionsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationProvisions For Losses Cardmember Loans Additionsfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringProvisions For Losses Cardmember Loans Additionsfalsefalse6false0axp_ProvisionsForLossesCardmemberLoansReservesAdditionsInterestAndFeesaxpfalsedebitdurationRepresents loss provisions for cardmember loans consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions), 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period.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse8200000082[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse5700000057[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse125000000125[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryPrimarily represents adjustments to cardmember loans resulting from unauthorized transactions for the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanAndLeaseLossesus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse15270000001527falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse42660000004266falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse42310000004231falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe sum of the periodic provision charged to operations, based on an assessment of the uncollectibility of the loan and lease portfolio, the offset to which is either added to or deducted from the allowance account for the purpose of reducing loan receivable and leases to an amount that approximates their net realizable value (the amount expected to be collected).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)
-Number AAG-DEP
-Chapter 5
-Paragraph 168, 169, 170
-IssueDate 2006-05-01
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Paragraph 11
-Article 9
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available.falsefalse12false0axp_CardmemberLoansReserveDeductionsOtheraxpfalsecreditdurationRepresents adjustments to cardmember loans reserve including foreign currency translation adjustments and net write-offs...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1truefalsefalse-61000000-61[4]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-171000000-171[4]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-269000000-269[4]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents adjustments to cardmember loans reserve including foreign currency translation adjustments and net write-offs related to unauthorized transactions for the period.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse13false0axp_CardmemberLoansReservesaxpfalsecreditinstantReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's...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:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReserves for losses relating to cardmember loans represent management's best estimate of the losses inherent in the Company's outstanding portfolio of loans.No authoritative reference 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cardmember loans evaluated separately for impairment that are modified in a Troubled Debt...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse279000000279falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse187000000187falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents reserves on cardmember loans evaluated separately for impairment that are modified in a Troubled Debt Restructuring.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse16false0axp_CardmemberLoansEvaluatedCollectivelyForImpairmentaxpfalsedebitinstantRepresents cardmember loans evaluated collectively for impairment that are modified in a Troubled Debt Restructuring.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalselabel1truefalsefalse5976300000059763falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3205100000032051falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse4178400000041784falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents cardmember loans evaluated collectively for impairment that are modified in a Troubled Debt Restructuring.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse17false0axp_ReservesOnCardmemberLoansEvaluatedCollectivelyForImpairmentaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents reserves on cardmember loans evaluated collectively for impairment that are modified in a Troubled 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Losses.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringReserves for Losses.falsefalse19false0us-gaap_AllowanceForLoanAndLeaseLossesRecoveriesOfBadDebtsus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse568000000568falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse327000000327falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse301000000301falsetruefalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse5falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse6falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse7falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse8falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalse9falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsetruefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryReflects a reduction in bad debt expense attributable to collections of loans and lease receivables which had previously been fully or partially charged off as bad debts.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 114
-Paragraph 20
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph d
-Article 9
falsefalse1Represents loss provisions for cardmember loans consisting of principal (resulting from authorized transactions), interest and fee reserves components. 2Primarily represents loss provisions for cardmember receivables resulting from unauthorized transactions.3Cardmember loans net write-offs - principal for 2010, 2009 and 2008 include recoveries of $568 million, $327 million and $301 million, respectively. Recoveries of interest and fees were de minimis. 4These amounts include net write-offs related to unauthorized transactions and foreign currency translation adjustments.5Represents loans modified in a TDR and related reserves. Refer to the Impaired Loans and Receivables discussion in Note 4 for further information.918Reserves for Losses (Details 1) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
