Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
PARENT LOUISE M
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AMERICAN EXPRESS CO [AXP]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
EVP, General Counsel
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER, 200 VESEY ST, AMERICAN EXPRESS TOWER
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/05/2010
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10285
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 11/05/2010   M   188,496 A $ 31.941 432,901 D  
Common Stock 11/05/2010   S   175,832 (1) D $ 44.0219 (2) 257,069 D  
Common Stock 11/05/2010   S   12,664 (3) D $ 44 244,405 (4) D  
Common Stock               83 (5) I By 401(k) Plan

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 31.941 11/05/2010   M     188,496 01/28/2003(6) 01/27/2012 Common Stock 188,496 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
PARENT LOUISE M
3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
200 VESEY ST, AMERICAN EXPRESS TOWER
NEW YORK, NY 10285
      EVP, General Counsel  

Signatures

 /s/ Michael G. Kuchs, attorney-in-fact   11/09/2010
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) Of the 188,496 shares acquired pursuant to the employee stock option exercise reported above, approximately 163,168 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.
(2) The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $44.00 to $44.10. 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.
(3) These shares were originally acquired from previous stock option exercises or restricted stock vestings under registered Company plans or pursuant to dividend reinvestment.
(4) Includes shares acquired pursuant to dividend reinvestment.
(5) 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.
(6) These options vested in three equal annual installments beginning on the date shown as "Date Exercisable."

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