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USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
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USD ($)
USD ($) / shares
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
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1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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USD ($)
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USD ($)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
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1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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USD ($)
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2010_Global_Network_And_Merchant_Services_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseGlobal Network And Merchant Services [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_GlobalNetworkAndMerchantServicesMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$11falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Global Network And Merchant Services [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
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1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2010_Corporate_And_Other_Member_Revolution_Money_Acquisition_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseRevolution Money Acquisition [Member]us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_RevolutionMoneyAcquisitionMemberus-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxisexplicitMemberfalsefalseCorporate and Other [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_CorporateAndOtherMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse40true0us-gaap_GoodwillRollForwardus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringA roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.falsefalse41false0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriodus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse184000000184falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe aggregate amount of goodwill acquired in the period and allocated to the reportable segment. The value is stated at fair value based on the purchase price allocation.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph e(1)
falsefalse42false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://americanexpress.com/role/otherassetsdetails11falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse13falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Corporate and Other [Member]
1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010
USD ($)
$TwelveMonthsEnded_31Dec2010_Corporate_And_Other_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseCorporate and Other [Member]us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_CorporateAndOtherMemberus-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$14falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationBySegmentAxis} : Corporate and Other [Member]
1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009
USD ($)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 43
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph e(1)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph e(3)
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
falsefalse48false0us-gaap_Goodwillus-gaaptruedebitinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetruefalseperiodendlabel1truefalsefalse200000000200falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1600000016falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryCarrying amount as of the balance sheet date, which is the cumulative amount paid, adjusted for any amortization recognized prior to adoption of FAS 142 and for any impairment charges, in excess of the fair value of net assets acquired in one or more business combination transactions.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 142
-Paragraph 43
falsefalse1Comprised of $131 million and $184 million for the acquisition of Accertify Inc. and Revolution Money Inc., respectively. Refer to Note 2 for further discussion.247Other Assets (Details 1) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
