2.2.0.25truefalse06091 - Disclosure - Customer Deposits (Details 1)truefalseIn Millionsfalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse12/31/2009
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170PureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0us-gaap_DepositsByTypeAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse3false0axp_DepositsOtheraxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents other types of deposits not previously classified.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse674000000674falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse710000000710falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents other types of deposits not previously classified.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse4false0us-gaap_Depositsus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsetotallabel1truefalsefalse2972700000029727falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse2628900000026289falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe aggregate of all deposit liabilities held by the entity, including foreign and domestic, interest and noninterest bearing; may include demand deposits, saving deposits, Negotiable Order of Withdrawal (NOW) and time deposits among others.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 12
-Article 9
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)
-Number AAG-DEP
-Chapter 13
-Paragraph 37, 38, 39
-IssueDate 2006-05-01
truefalse5false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://americanexpress.com/role/disclosurecustomerdepositsdetails21falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis} : U.S. [Member]
12/31/2010
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2010_Domestic_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseU.S. [Member]us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_DomesticMemberus-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis} : U.S. [Member]
12/31/2009
USD ($)
$BalanceAsOf_31Dec2009_Domestic_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000004962instant2009-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseU.S. [Member]us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldiaxp_DomesticMemberus-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse6true0us-gaap_DepositsByTypeAbstractus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringNo definition available.falsefalse7false0axp_DepositsSavingsAccountsDepositsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents direct personal savings accounts, primarily high yield savings accounts, offered directly by the Company's Banks.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse77250000007725falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse19500000001950falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents direct personal savings accounts, primarily high yield savings accounts, offered directly by the Company's Banks.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse8false0axp_DirectCertificatesOfDepositsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents direct certificates of deposit accounts, including high yield savings accounts, offered directly by the Company's...falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse10520000001052falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse265000000265falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents direct certificates of deposit accounts, including high yield savings accounts, offered directly by the Company's Banks.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0axp_ThirdPartyCertificatesOfDepositaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents third certificate of deposit accounts offered by the Company's Banks through selected brokers.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse1141100000011411falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1481600000014816falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents third certificate of deposit accounts offered by the Company's Banks through selected brokers.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse10false0axp_ThirdPartySweepAccountsaxpfalsecreditinstantRepresents third party sweep accounts offered by the Company's Banks through selected broker-dealer networks.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel1truefalsefalse88650000008865falsetruefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse85480000008548falsetruefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents third party sweep accounts offered by the Company's Banks through selected broker-dealer networks.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse29Customer Deposits (Details 1) (USD $)MillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue
