Name:	axp_ThirdPartyCertificatesOfDeposit
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Represents third party sweep accounts offered by the Company's Banks.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_ThirdPartySweepAccounts
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The current portion of money or property received from customers which is either to be returned upon satisfactory contract completion or applied to customer receivables in accordance with the terms of the contract or the understandings.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_CustomerDepositsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Name:	us-gaap_Deposits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DepositsDomesticAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The aggregate of all foreign interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing deposit liabilities.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-05(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6882215&loc=d3e537907-122884

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.12(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Name:	us-gaap_DepositsForeign
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of interest-bearing domestic certificate of deposit liabilities.

Name:	us-gaap_InterestBearingDomesticDepositCertificatesOfDeposits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of interest-bearing domestic savings deposit liabilities. Saving deposits bear interest and have no stated maturity.

Name:	us-gaap_InterestBearingDomesticDepositSavings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Amount of other noninterest-bearing domestic deposit liabilities.

No definition available.