2.2.0.25falsefalse06071 - Disclosure - Asset Securitizations (Details 1)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$3true0axp_SecuritizationIncomeNetActivityAbstractaxpfalsenadurationSecuritization Income Net Activity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringSecuritization Income Net Activity.falsefalse4false0axp_ExcessSpreadNetaxpfalsedebitdurationRepresents the net cash flow from interest and fee collections allocated to the investors' interests after deducting the...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruenegated1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-155000000-155000000[1]falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse544000000544000000falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the net cash flow from interest and fee collections allocated to the investors' interests after deducting the interest paid on investor certificates, credit losses, contractual servicing fees, other expenses and the changes in the fair value of the interest-only strip.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse5false0axp_ServicingFeesaxpfalsecreditdurationRepresents the servicing fee charged by the Company as a result of securitization activity.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse562000000562000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse543000000543000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the servicing fee charged by the Company as a result of securitization activity.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6false0us-gaap_GainLossOnSecuritizationOfFinancialAssetsus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-7000000-7000000[2]falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-17000000-17000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryA gain or loss realized on a transfer, accounted for as a sale, of all or a portion of financial assets in which the transferor surrenders control and receives consideration other than a beneficial interest in the assets transferred. Reflects the amount of sales proceeds in excess of, or deficient from, the sum of the carrying amounts of transferred financial assets plus transaction costs.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 140
-Paragraph 17
-Subparagraph h(2)
falsefalse7false0axp_SecuritizationIncomeNetaxpfalsecreditdurationNon-credit provision components of the net gains or losses from securitization activities, excess spread related to...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse400000000400000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse10700000001070000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryNon-credit provision components of the net gains or losses from securitization activities, excess spread related to securitized cardmember loans, changes in the fair value of the interest-only strip, and servicing income, net of related discounts or fees. Excess spread, which is recognized as earned, is the net cash flow from interest and fee collections allocated to the third-party investors' interests.No authoritative reference available.truefalse8true0axp_SecuritizationTextualsAbstractaxpfalsenadurationSecuritization textuals abstract.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringSecuritization textuals abstract.falsefalse9false0axp_CardmemberSecuritizationSalesaxpfalsedebitdurationRepresents the reserve impact of cardmember sales excluded from losses on securitizations, which is included within...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse201000000201000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse446000000446000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the reserve impact of cardmember sales excluded from losses on securitizations, which is included within provisions for losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0axp_CardmemberSecuritizationMaturitiesaxpfalsedebitdurationRepresents the reserve impact of cardmember maturities, excluded from Losses on Securitizations, which is included within...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse-393000000-393000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse-177000000-177000000falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the reserve impact of cardmember maturities, excluded from Losses on Securitizations, which is included within provisions for losses in the Consolidated Statements of Income.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse1Excess spread, net was the net cash flow from interest and fee collections allocated to the investors' interests after deducting the interest paid on investor certificates, credit losses, contractual servicing fees, other expenses, and the changes in the fair value of the interest-only strip. This amount excludes issuer rate fees on the securitized accounts, which were recorded in discount revenue in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income.2Excludes $201 million and $(393) million of credit provision impact from cardmember loan sales and maturities for 2010, $201 million and $(393) million of credit provision impact from cardmember loan sales and maturities for 2009, as well as $446 million and $(177) million of credit provision impact from cardmember loan sales and maturities for 2008.38Asset Securitizations (Details 1) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
