FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Buckminster Douglas E. 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 11/23/2009 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AMERICAN EXPRESS CO [AXP] (Last) (First) (Middle) BELGRAVE HOUSE, 76 BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Pres, Int'l Consumer & SBS 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) LONDON  6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 90,512 D   Common Stock 11,414.73 (1) I 401(k) Trust

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	02/28/2002(2)	02/27/2010	Common Stock	26,732	$ 38.224	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	04/10/2002(2)	04/09/2010	Common Stock	4,113	$ 41.315	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	02/26/2003(2)	02/25/2011	Common Stock	39,984	$ 38.922	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/28/2003(2)	01/27/2012	Common Stock	39,984	$ 31.941	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/27/2004(3)	01/26/2013	Common Stock	37,128	$ 29.239	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/26/2005(3)	01/25/2014	Common Stock	37,128	$ 43.977	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/24/2006(3)	01/23/2015	Common Stock	30,845	$ 45.768	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/23/2007(3)	01/22/2016	Common Stock	49,500	$ 51.865	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/25/2008(3)	01/24/2017	Common Stock	50,000	$ 57.77	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	07/31/2008(3)	07/30/2017	Common Stock	50,000	$ 58.54	D	Â
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	01/31/2009(3)	01/30/2018	Common Stock	100,000	$ 49.13	D	Â
Phantom Stock Units	  (4)	  (4)	Common Stock	203.14 (5)	$ 0 (6)	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Buckminster Douglas E. BELGRAVE HOUSE 76 BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD LONDONÂ	Â	Â	  Pres, Int'l Consumer & SBS	Â

Signatures

/s/ Michael G. Kuchs, attorney-in-fact		12/02/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	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.
(2)	These options vested in three equal annual installments beginning on the date shown as "Date Exercisable."
(3)	These shares become exercisable in four cumulative annual installments of 25% each beginning on date shown as "Date Exercisable."
(4)	The units are to be settled following the reporting person's retirement or other termination of service.
(5)	Includes phantom stock units acquired pursuant to a dividend reinvestment feature of the Company's Supplemental Retirement Plan.
(6)	The phantom stock converts into common stock on a one-for-one basis.
  Remarks: Exhibit List      Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney

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