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Represents the maximum fixed-rate interest rate employees' balances are credited with daily.

No definition available.

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Represents the minimum fixed-rate interest rate employees' balances are credited with daily.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_DefinedBenefitPensionPlansInterestRateCreditMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the maximum percentage of total pay the Company matches employee contributions to the plan of total pay for the Company's Retirement Savings Plan, subject to the Internal Revenue Code.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_MaximumPercentageOfTotalPayEmployeeContributionsMatch
Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the maximum percentage of an employee's eligible compensation used to calculate an annual profit-sharing contribution to the employee.

No definition available.

Name:	axp_MaximumPercentageProfitSharingContribution
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Balance Type:	na
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Represents the minimum percentage of an employee's eligible compensation used to calculate an annual profit-sharing contribution to the employee.

No definition available.

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- Details

Name:	axp_RetirementPlansTextualsAbstract
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Represents the total number of shares the Retirement Savings Plan has in American Express' Common Stock for employees as of the end of the period.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	axp_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income related to gains and losses that are not recognized immediately and are expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year that follows the most recent annual statement of financial position presented.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (s)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 158

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph s

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income related to prior service cost or credit expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year that follows the most recent annual statement of financial position presented.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph j

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (k)(1)

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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The employer's best estimate, as soon as it can be reasonably determined, of contributions expected to be paid to the plan during the next fiscal year beginning after the date of the latest statement of financial position. Estimated contributions may be presented in the aggregate combining (1) contributions required by funding regulations or laws, (2) discretionary contributions, and (3) noncash contributions.

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The funded status is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation. Will normally be the same as the net Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet, Total.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph c

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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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Balance Type:	debit
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A narrative description of the basis used to determine the overall expected long-term rate-of-return on assets assumption, such as the general approach used, the extent to which the overall rate-of-return on assets assumption was based on historical returns, the extent to which adjustments were made to those historical returns to reflect expectations of future returns, and how those adjustments were determined. The description would generally consider the major categories of assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e2446-114920

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=21915506&loc=d3e1928-114920

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

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-Subparagraph d(iii)

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The amount of the cost recognized during the period for defined contribution plans.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 70

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6414718&loc=d3e28014-114942

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 132R

-Paragraph 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.