EMB170 flight crew is dispatched with no alternate (none required); and after reroutes; WX deviation...

Narrative:

On taxi out ZZZ1; we were given clearance to taxi to 'hold pad' and to contact clearance delivery for rerte. After receiving rerte I called dispatch; discussed the new route; fuel on board and amended the release. We had 1300 pounds over our amended minimum fuel and dispatch and I both agreed that that was adequate to get us to destination. The NM difference in rtes was about 90 NM and increased the minimum fuel by about 400 pounds. We departed within 15 mins after notifying ground control we were ready. On climb to our filed altitude we were step climbed for longer than normal. We inquired ATC several times and finally got a slight turn off course to continue our climb. We also had to request a few minor turns to avoid some isolated thunderstorms. ATC later gave us headings to fly for spacing and controled our speed (slower) as we joined the arrival to ZZZ. At this time we showed normal landing fuel of about 3400 pounds. ZZZ center told us to expect holding; and we told them that we would most likely have to divert if a holding clearance was issued. I ACARS'ed dispatched with fuel on board and asked for WX and information for ZZZ2; ZZZ3; or ZZZ4. We received a message that said ZZZ5 was best due to WX over ZZZ2; ZZZ3; and ZZZ4. ATC then issued holding over zzzzz intersection with an XA25Z efc. We set up the hold; sent a message to dispatch and told ATC that we would need to divert to ZZZ5 and requested an initial heading. We ran fuel numbers and determined that ZZZ5 would not work. I then called dispatch via ZZZ radio and discussed other options and it was determined that I would request vectors to ZZZ. I told ATC that we were unable to make ZZZ5 and we could not accept holding due to minimum fuel. ATC gave us headings to ZZZ and ATC declared us an emergency aircraft and gave us priority handling. We landed without incident and taxied to the gate under our own power. We landed with company minimum fuel. ZZZ did not require an alternate airport to be filed and when departing there were no other known delays to ZZZ. The reason for the rerte was given as en route WX on the primary route. A compounding cause was the extensive step-climb to cruise coupled with the late holding to ZZZ (ZZZ had not been holding prior to our departure). I have no suggestions as company policy was followed and appropriate measures were taken.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB170 FLT CREW IS DISPATCHED WITH NO ALTERNATE (NONE REQUIRED); AND AFTER REROUTES; WX DEVIATIONS; AND HOLDING DECLARES MIN FUEL FOR LANDING AT DESTINATION.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT ZZZ1; WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO TAXI TO 'HOLD PAD' AND TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY FOR RERTE. AFTER RECEIVING RERTE I CALLED DISPATCH; DISCUSSED THE NEW RTE; FUEL ON BOARD AND AMENDED THE RELEASE. WE HAD 1300 LBS OVER OUR AMENDED MINIMUM FUEL AND DISPATCH AND I BOTH AGREED THAT THAT WAS ADEQUATE TO GET US TO DEST. THE NM DIFFERENCE IN RTES WAS ABOUT 90 NM AND INCREASED THE MINIMUM FUEL BY ABOUT 400 LBS. WE DEPARTED WITHIN 15 MINS AFTER NOTIFYING GND CTL WE WERE READY. ON CLB TO OUR FILED ALT WE WERE STEP CLBED FOR LONGER THAN NORMAL. WE INQUIRED ATC SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY GOT A SLIGHT TURN OFF COURSE TO CONTINUE OUR CLB. WE ALSO HAD TO REQUEST A FEW MINOR TURNS TO AVOID SOME ISOLATED TSTMS. ATC LATER GAVE US HDGS TO FLY FOR SPACING AND CTLED OUR SPD (SLOWER) AS WE JOINED THE ARR TO ZZZ. AT THIS TIME WE SHOWED NORMAL LNDG FUEL OF ABOUT 3400 LBS. ZZZ CTR TOLD US TO EXPECT HOLDING; AND WE TOLD THEM THAT WE WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE TO DIVERT IF A HOLDING CLRNC WAS ISSUED. I ACARS'ED DISPATCHED WITH FUEL ON BOARD AND ASKED FOR WX AND INFO FOR ZZZ2; ZZZ3; OR ZZZ4. WE RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT SAID ZZZ5 WAS BEST DUE TO WX OVER ZZZ2; ZZZ3; AND ZZZ4. ATC THEN ISSUED HOLDING OVER ZZZZZ INTXN WITH AN XA25Z EFC. WE SET UP THE HOLD; SENT A MESSAGE TO DISPATCH AND TOLD ATC THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ5 AND REQUESTED AN INITIAL HDG. WE RAN FUEL NUMBERS AND DETERMINED THAT ZZZ5 WOULD NOT WORK. I THEN CALLED DISPATCH VIA ZZZ RADIO AND DISCUSSED OTHER OPTIONS AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT I WOULD REQUEST VECTORS TO ZZZ. I TOLD ATC THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO MAKE ZZZ5 AND WE COULD NOT ACCEPT HOLDING DUE TO MINIMUM FUEL. ATC GAVE US HDGS TO ZZZ AND ATC DECLARED US AN EMER ACFT AND GAVE US PRIORITY HANDLING. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO THE GATE UNDER OUR OWN PWR. WE LANDED WITH COMPANY MINIMUM FUEL. ZZZ DID NOT REQUIRE AN ALTERNATE ARPT TO BE FILED AND WHEN DEPARTING THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN DELAYS TO ZZZ. THE REASON FOR THE RERTE WAS GIVEN AS ENRTE WX ON THE PRIMARY RTE. A COMPOUNDING CAUSE WAS THE EXTENSIVE STEP-CLB TO CRUISE COUPLED WITH THE LATE HOLDING TO ZZZ (ZZZ HAD NOT BEEN HOLDING PRIOR TO OUR DEP). I HAVE NO SUGGESTIONS AS COMPANY POLICY WAS FOLLOWED AND APPROPRIATE MEASURES WERE TAKEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Attributes
ACN	792681
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.tracon
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	792681
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

EMB170 flight crew is dispatched with no alternate (none required); and after reroutes; WX deviations; and holding declares min fuel for landing at destination.