Delta Air Lines, like most major carriers in 2026, generally does not "hold" a flight for a delayed connecting passenger unless the delay involves a very large group of people or is the final flight of the night on a high-stakes route. Typically, if you are not at the gate at least 15 minutes before the scheduled departure (when the boarding door usually closes), the plane will depart without you. However, Delta utilizes an automated system called "Connection Assist" that monitors real-time delays. If the system calculates that holding the plane for 5–10 minutes will not cause a "ripple effect" of delays for the rest of the aircraft's schedule or the crew's legal working hours, the gate agent may be authorized to wait. Generally, it is safer to assume they will not hold the flight and to use the Fly Delta app to begin the automated rebooking process as soon as you realize you will miss your connection.