How long do flight delays typically last

How long do flight delays typically last?
I'm going to Cleveland, Ohio December 12, and just in case there's a flight delay, how long would they last? I have to be somewhere at 4:30pm sharp that day, and I was planning on having the first flight of the day. The estimated time of arrival would be at 9:16am, so I was hoping I'd have a few hours just in case. What's your opinion? Thank you! PS: I can't get there the night before.
Air Travel - 4 Answers
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1 :
There is no way to predict flight delays due to the number of things that can cause them from trouble with the aircraft to weather at destination and anything in between. About the only way to help yourself is to watch the weather very closely both at your location and destination. The rest is up to God and the FAA ! To find further info, try your carriers website or the FAA website @ www.faa.gov. Good luck and happy trails !!! ---- Art Kidwell
2 :
It really depends on the cause of the delay. If it is weather it depends on how long the storm lasts. If it is mechanical problems it depends on whether they have a spare plane available or how long it takes to repair. Or, as once happened to me, if the maintenance guys have lost a screwdriver, how long it takes the hundred plus people on the plane to find it. A lost screwdriver is the best excuse I have had so far.
3 :
It would depend on the reason for the delay. There is no set time for a delay.
4 :
You can actually check the on-time statistics for your particular flight using this site: http://www.bts.gov/xml/ontimesummarystatistics/src/index.xml But there is really no way to predict if a delay will occur or how long it might be. There are so many reasons flights are delayed - weather, maintenance, delays with the incoming flight, unavailable gates, etc. Typically, a delay would not be 7 hours, which appears to be the time between your supposed arrival and your appointment. But again, you never know. A storm could hit and shut down the airport for the day, or part of the day. Your airplane could have a problem that takes hours to fix or to find a replacement. Odds are, you'll be fine and won't have any trouble making your appointment. But you can't count on that.