Definition
A planned delay that a pilot includes in a flight plan, indicating an intention to slow down, hold, or otherwise consume extra time at a specified point along the route before continuing to the destination. The delay is filed in advance so that air traffic control can account for it in handling the flight.
Plain English
It is a delay the pilot has built into the flight plan on purpose, telling controllers ahead of time that the flight will pause or take longer at a certain point before carrying on.
Context Anchor
Seen when filing IFR flight plans that include planned holding, training, survey work, refueling, or other planned activity along the route.
Derivation
"Filed" because it is written into the flight plan submitted to ATC. "Enroute" means along the route of flight, between departure and destination. Together: a delay that is officially declared, in advance, as part of the route.
Why Pilots Care
Allows accurate fuel and arrival time planning so the flight does not run short on reserves or miss connections.
Grounding Statement
The key idea is that the delay is planned before the flight and happens somewhere along the route.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as an unexpected delay caused by ATC or weather. A Filed Enroute Delay is a planned delay that the pilot includes in the flight plan before departure.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot filed an enroute delay of thirty minutes over the practice area to complete some maneuvers before continuing on to the destination airport.
Example Sentence 2
Dispatch revised the filed enroute delay after receiving updated traffic management information from ATC.