Loans and Accounts Receivable (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	$ 48,707	$ 48,216
Total aging	49,326	48,758
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	183	156
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	128	119
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	308	267
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	11,055	12,158
Total aging	11,192	12,302
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	51	45
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	26	30
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	60	69
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	7,698	6,863
Total aging	7,823	6,971
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	39	32
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	27	24
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	59	52
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	6,424	5,888
Total aging	6,512	5,966
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	28	22
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	18	15
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	42	41
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	10,556	9,378
Total aging	10,675	9,484
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	36	34
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	24	23
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	59	49
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	15,651	14,047
Total aging	15,878	14,273
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	75	77
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	50	47
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	102	102
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Total aging	54	52
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	0	0
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Total aging	17,932	14,767
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Equal To Greater Than 90 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	$ 153	$ 135