Investment Securities (Details 2) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) security	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) security
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses
Number of Securities, Less than 12 months \| security	2	2
Number of Securities, 12 months or more \| security	3	29
Number of Securities, Total \| security	5	31
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months	$ 18	$ 224
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more	324	873
Estimated Fair Value, Total	342	1,097
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(1)	(2)
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more	(1)	(16)
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	$ (2)	$ (18)
Ratio Of Fair Value To Amortized Cost Between Ninety And One Hundred Percent [Member]
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses
Number of Securities, Less than 12 months \| security	2	2
Number of Securities, 12 months or more \| security	3	29
Number of Securities, Total \| security	5	31
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses and length of time
Estimated Fair Value, Less than 12 months	$ 18	$ 224
Estimated Fair Value, 12 months or more	324	873
Estimated Fair Value, Total	342	1,097
Available-for-sale investment securities with gross unrealized losses
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 months	(1)	(2)
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 months or more	(1)	(16)
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	$ (2)	$ (18)

No definition available.

Name:	axp_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedAggregateLossesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Unrealized Loss Position1

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axp_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPosition1Abstract
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for more than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942371&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLonger
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for 12 months or longer, without an allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922888-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27337-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922890-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942371&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12Months
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in continuous unrealized loss position for less than 12 months, without an allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position without allowance for credit loss.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922888-210455

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118942371&loc=SL82922954-210456

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPosition
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accumulated unrealized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostAxis=axp_RatioOfFairValueToAmortizedCostBetweenNinetyAndOneHundredPercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: