Narrative:

Once again dispatch short changing us on fuel on a VFR day. Departed with approximately 6500 pounds. Had step climbs out due to traffic above. Level at 8000 ft for a while; then level at 13000 ft for another while; then climb to 17000 ft and level there for quite some time. Then our final cruise altitude was FL330 instead of FL370; once again due to traffic. Got into ZZZ1 airspace and they gave us direct. Next frequency told us to expect holding. Calculated fuel and we had approximately enough to hold for 10 min. Tried to get some help from dispatch; and it took about 10 mins for them to reply due to shift change. By that time we were holding and decided to declare an emergency. Since we had no alternate on file we decided to go to ZZZ; our final destination. Landed uneventful with approximately 1300 pounds; short taxi to gate. Flight was planed with only 15 min of hold fuel and 400 pounds of fuel added by dispatch; VFR day but flying into ZZZ on a sunday afternoon. The holding was due to volume and not WX. I guess this is an unexpected delay! After receiving holding instructions we determined we did not have enough fuel to hold and then continue to the destination. No alternate was required due to clear skies at ZZZ. So we declared minimum fuel; while trying to contact dispatch to see were they wanted us to go; that took a while and we declared an emergency due to low fuel; and wanted to continue to ZZZ. We declared an emergency and proceeded to ZZZ as an emergency aircraft. Landed uneventful and taxied to gate after vacating the runway; no assistance was required from crash fire rescue equipment personnel. There should be a minimum of 30 min hold fuel for every flight operating into ZZZ. Any minor hiccup and ZZZ traffic goes into holding; WX been a factor or not.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN RJ135 WAS GIVEN HOLDING ENRTE TO ZZZ WITH MIN FUEL; NO ALTERNATE; AND NO DELAY FUEL. CREW DECLARED AN EMER FOR EXPEDITED FLT TO ZZZ.

Narrative: ONCE AGAIN DISPATCH SHORT CHANGING US ON FUEL ON A VFR DAY. DEPARTED WITH APPROX 6500 LBS. HAD STEP CLBS OUT DUE TO TFC ABOVE. LEVEL AT 8000 FT FOR A WHILE; THEN LEVEL AT 13000 FT FOR ANOTHER WHILE; THEN CLB TO 17000 FT AND LEVEL THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THEN OUR FINAL CRUISE ALTITUDE WAS FL330 INSTEAD OF FL370; ONCE AGAIN DUE TO TFC. GOT INTO ZZZ1 AIRSPACE AND THEY GAVE US DIRECT. NEXT FREQ TOLD US TO EXPECT HOLDING. CALCULATED FUEL AND WE HAD APPROX ENOUGH TO HOLD FOR 10 MIN. TRIED TO GET SOME HELP FROM DISPATCH; AND IT TOOK ABOUT 10 MINS FOR THEM TO REPLY DUE TO SHIFT CHANGE. BY THAT TIME WE WERE HOLDING AND DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER. SINCE WE HAD NO ALTERNATE ON FILE WE DECIDED TO GO TO ZZZ; OUR FINAL DEST. LANDED UNEVENTFUL WITH APPROX 1300 LBS; SHORT TAXI TO GATE. FLT WAS PLANED WITH ONLY 15 MIN OF HOLD FUEL AND 400 LBS OF FUEL ADDED BY DISPATCH; VFR DAY BUT FLYING INTO ZZZ ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE HOLDING WAS DUE TO VOLUME AND NOT WX. I GUESS THIS IS AN UNEXPECTED DELAY! AFTER RECEIVING HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WE DETERMINED WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO HOLD AND THEN CONTINUE TO THE DEST. NO ALTERNATE WAS REQUIRED DUE TO CLR SKIES AT ZZZ. SO WE DECLARED MINIMUM FUEL; WHILE TRYING TO CONTACT DISPATCH TO SEE WERE THEY WANTED US TO GO; THAT TOOK A WHILE AND WE DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO LOW FUEL; AND WANTED TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND PROCEEDED TO ZZZ AS AN EMER ACFT. LANDED UNEVENTFUL AND TAXIED TO GATE AFTER VACATING THE RWY; NO ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED FROM CFR PERSONNEL. THERE SHOULD BE A MINIMUM OF 30 MIN HOLD FUEL FOR EVERY FLT OPERATING INTO ZZZ. ANY MINOR HICCUP AND ZZZ TFC GOES INTO HOLDING; WX BEEN A FACTOR OR NOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.