What does it mean when your flight status says 'delayed'?

A "delayed" status means the airline has moved the departure time later than originally scheduled. But there are important nuances in how this works:

Short delay (under 30 minutes): The most common type. Often caused by late-arriving aircraft, minor maintenance, or crew scheduling. These usually don't cascade into bigger problems. The airline may not even announce it — you just notice the board updated.

Extended delay (1-3 hours): More serious. Likely caused by weather at your destination, a mechanical issue, or a ground delay program from the FAA. The airline should be providing regular updates every 30 minutes.

Indefinite delay: The worst kind. You'll see "delayed" with no new time posted. This usually means the airline doesn't know when (or if) the flight will go. Often happens during weather events. Start looking at alternative flights.

What the status doesn't tell you: whether the delay will get longer. Flight status boards only show the current estimated departure — they update as the situation changes. A "30 minute delay" at 2 PM can become a 3-hour delay by 3 PM. Monitor the aircraft's inbound flight for a better prediction.

What to do: set up alerts (most airline apps push notifications). If the delay exceeds 3 hours domestic, you have refund rights. If it's a controllable delay (not weather), you have rights to meals after 3 hours and hotel if overnight.