Acquisitions and Divestitures	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure Text Block Abstract
Acquisitions	NOTE 2 BUSINESS EVENTS LOANS AND RECEIVABLES portfolio dispositions During the fourth quarter of 2015, it was determined we would sell the Card Member loans and receivables related to our cobrand partnerships with JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) in the United States (the HFS portfolios). As a result, the HFS portfolios were presented as held for sale (HFS) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets within Card Member loans and receivables HFS as of December 31, 2015. During the first half of 2016, we completed the sales of substantially all of these outstanding Card Member loans and receivables HFS and recognized gains, as an expense reduction in Other expenses, of $127 million and $1.1 billion during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016, respectively. The impact of the sales, including the recognition of the proceeds received and the reclassification of the retained Card Member loans and receivables, was reported within the investing section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as a net decrease in Card Member receivables and loans, including HFS. From the point of classification as HFS through the sale completion dates, we continued to recognize discount revenue, interest income, other revenues and expenses related to the HFS portfolios in the respective line items on the Consolidated Statements of Income, with changes in the valuation of the HFS portfolios recognized in Other expenses. Loan portfolio acquisition During the first quarter of 2018, we acquired the portion of the Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. cobrand credit card loan portfolio that we did not previously own (the acquired Hilton portfolio). The acquired Hilton portfolio had an outstanding principal and interest balance of approximately $1 billion at acquisition. None of the credit card loans acquired were considered purchased credit impaired at acquisition date. The cash outflows related to this acquisition are reported within the investing section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows primarily as a net increase in Card Member receivables and loans.

NOTE 2

BUSINESS EVENTS

LOANS AND RECEIVABLES portfolio dispositions

During the fourth quarter of 2015, it was determined we would sell the Card Member loans and receivables related to our cobrand partnerships with JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (Costco) in the United States (the HFS portfolios). As a result, the HFS portfolios were presented as held for sale (HFS) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets within Card Member loans and receivables HFS as of December 31, 2015. During the first half of 2016, we completed the sales of substantially all of these outstanding Card Member loans and receivables HFS and recognized gains, as an expense reduction in Other expenses, of $127 million and $1.1 billion during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016, respectively. The impact of the sales, including the recognition of the proceeds received and the reclassification of the retained Card Member loans and receivables, was reported within the investing section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as a net decrease in Card Member receivables and loans, including HFS. From the point of classification as HFS through the sale completion dates, we continued to recognize discount revenue, interest income, other revenues and expenses related to the HFS portfolios in the respective line items on the Consolidated Statements of Income, with changes in the valuation of the HFS portfolios recognized in Other expenses.

Loan portfolio acquisition

During the first quarter of 2018, we acquired the portion of the Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. cobrand credit card loan portfolio that we did not previously own (the acquired Hilton portfolio). The acquired Hilton portfolio had an outstanding principal and interest balance of approximately $1 billion at acquisition. None of the credit card loans acquired were considered purchased credit impaired at acquisition date. The cash outflows related to this acquisition are reported within the investing section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows primarily as a net increase in Card Member receivables and loans.