AMERICAN EXPRESS CO — Director's Dealing 2011

May 6, 2011

SEC Form 4 — Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership

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

Reporting Person: PARENT LOUISE M (EVP, General Counsel)

Non-Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Code	Shares	Price	A/D	Holdings After	Ownership
2011-05-05	Common Stock	M	170218	$29.239	Acquired	417711.0117	Direct
2011-05-05	Common Stock	S	153019	$49.392	Disposed	264692.0117	Direct
2011-05-05	Common Stock	S	17199	$49.6002	Disposed	247493.0117	Direct

Derivative Transactions

Date	Security	Exercise Price	Code	Shares	A/D	Expiration	Underlying	Ownership
2011-05-05	Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$29.239	M	170218	Disposed	2013-01-26	Common Stock (170218)	Direct

Holdings (Non-Derivative)

Security	Shares	Ownership
Common Stock	84	Indirect

Footnotes

F1: Of the 170,218 shares acquired pursuant to the employee stock option exercise reported above, approximately 135,821 shares were sold to cover the cost of exercise and withholding taxes. Ms. Parent retained 50% of the net shares acquired from this option exercise.

F2: The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $49.35 to $49.43. The reporting person undertakes to provide to American Express Company, any security holder of American Express Company, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within this range.

F3: These shares were originally acquired from previous stock option exercises or restricted stock vestings under registered Company plans or pursuant to dividend reinvestment.

F4: The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $49.60 to $49.61. The reporting person undertakes to provide to American Express Company, any security holder of American Express Company, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within this range.

F5: Includes shares acquired pursuant to dividend reinvestment.

F6: 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.

F7: These options became exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning on date shown as "Date Exercisable."