Customer Deposits - Categorized as Interest or Non-interest Bearing (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2026	Dec. 31, 2025
U.S.:
Interest-bearing	$ 155,845	$ 151,425
Non-interest-bearing (includes Card Member credit balances of: 2026, $507; 2025, $556)	549	606
Non-U.S.:
Interest-bearing	18	18
Non-interest-bearing (includes Card Member credit balances of: 2026, $558; 2025, $436)	560	439
Total customer deposits	156,973	152,488
Card Member Credit Balances
U.S.:
Non-interest-bearing (includes Card Member credit balances of: 2026, $507; 2025, $556)	507	556
Non-U.S.:
Non-interest-bearing (includes Card Member credit balances of: 2026, $558; 2025, $436)	$ 558	$ 436

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://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 405
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477787/942-405-45-3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(12))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Total amount of interest-bearing domestic deposit liabilities, which may include brokered, retail, demand, checking, notice of withdrawal, money market and other interest-bearing deposits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(12))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of foreign interest-bearing deposits held by the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(12)(a))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of domestic noninterest-bearing deposits held by the entity, which may include demand deposits, checking, brokered and retail deposits.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of foreign noninterest-bearing deposits held by the entity which may include demand deposits, checking, brokered and retail deposits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477657/942-210-S45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478478/942-210-S50-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(12)(a))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	axp_CreditBalancesAxis=axp_CardMemberCreditBalancesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: