AMERICAN EXPRESS CO — Director's Dealing 2011

May 25, 2011

SEC Form 3 — Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership

Issuer: AMERICAN EXPRESS CO (AXP)
CIK: 0000004962
Period of Report: 2011-05-16

Reporting Person: Cornish David L (Chief Accounting Officer)

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	10833	Direct
Common Stock	80	Indirect

Holdings (Derivative)

Security	Exercise Price	Expiration	Underlying	Shares	Ownership
Phantom Stock Units	$		Common Stock (17)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$45.768	2015-01-24	Common Stock (11938)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$51.865	2016-01-23	Common Stock (24200)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$57.77	2017-01-25	Common Stock (23000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$49.13	2018-01-31	Common Stock (24000)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$16.71	2019-01-29	Common Stock (9725)		Direct
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$38.10	2020-01-26	Common Stock (10499)		Direct

Footnotes

F1: Includes 4,491 Restricted Stock Units which will be settled in common shares on the applicable vesting dates if all award requirements have been met.

F2: Shares held in reporting person's account under the Company's Retirement Savings Plan. This plan uses unit accounting, and the number of shares that a participant is deemed to hold varies with the unit price of the Company pooled stock fund.

F3: The units are to be settled following the reporting person's retirement or other termination of service.

F4: The phantom stock converts into common stock on a one-for-one basis.

F5: These options became exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning on date shown as "Date Exercisable."

F6: These shares become exercisable in four cumulative annual installments of 25% each beginning on date shown as "Date Exercisable."