Loans and Accounts Receivable (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	$ 44,367	$ 43,063
Total aging	44,857	43,495
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	149	128
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	105	94
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	236	210
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	9,963	11,646
Total aging	10,101	11,807
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	51	54
U S Consumer Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	28	32
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	59	75
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	6,589	6,961
Total aging	6,700	7,072
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	34	34
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	25	25
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	52	52
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	5,470	5,515
Total aging	5,551	5,599
International Consumer and Network Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	25	24
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	17	18
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	39	42
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	8,918	7,867
Total aging	9,013	7,951
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	29	26
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	20	18
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	46	40
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Current	13,605	12,734
Total aging	13,809	12,950
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	77	69
Global Small Business Services [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables 60 To 89 Days Past Due [Member]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Past Due	44	45
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	83	102
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Loans [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Total aging	48	55
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	1	1
Global Corporate Payments [Member] | Card Member Receivables [Member] | Financing Receivables Period Past Due [Domain]
Accounts Receivables [Line Items]
Total aging	15,797	13,777
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	$ 124	$ 124