B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 371
Human-Machine Interface; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Aircraft; Company Policy; Human Factors
ZZZ to ZZZ1; we were cleared direct to the Final Approach Fix going into ZZZ at 3000 feet about five miles out with the field in sight; when ATC turned us out to the west; at which point they put us into a box holding pattern. They told us that an aircraft had blown a tire and the runway would be cleaned up soon. We thought; no problem we have plenty of gas. Then about 15 minutes later we were told it would be another 20 minutes which again; no problem. We had the gas and it is a VFR day. Now we were down to about 6.0 on gas and dispatch started working on numbers to go to ZZZ2. The Captain asked ATC what the game plan was. Their response was; 'I will get back with you in a minute.' We had talked about landing on Runway 18/36 if we needed to; when Control told everyone that the airport was closed. This was the first time we heard this. The Captain requested direct to ZZZ2. We requested 23000 feet but were given 10;000 feet which put us right in the buildups and lower than we wanted; for fuel saving reasons. We were given to Center where the Captain requested direct to the field. But we were given direct to ZZZZZ for the ZZZZZ Arrival. The fuel showed landing below minimum fuel. The Captain than declared minimum fuel status and asked for priority handling and requested direct to the field and to climb higher. Center held us down. The Captain made multiple requests to climb higher. We were finally cleared to climb. Now the fuel showed us landing with even less. Now we were approaching emergency fuel. The Captain again asked for direct to the field. I pulled up the progress page and it showed us landing with less than 2.0. The Captain [notified ATC] and asked for direct. It seemed that Center was working against us instead of working with us. Finally; we received clearance to direct to the field. Now they wanted us to descend. We requested to stay high as long as we could. But ZZZ2 wanted us to descend down to 15000 feet. At this time fuel was becoming critical. On the PFD I saw ZZZ3 and told the Captain I wanted to divert there. He agreed. We told Center that we were diverting to that field. I think at this time Center realized we were in a serious situation. They began to help more expeditiously. We turned direct to the field. The Captain took control of the aircraft while I put in direct to the field and pulled the approach and worked the numbers. We landed without any problems. Dispatch had already called the FBO and they were waiting on us. We landed with 2.7 on the fuel and on engine shutdown with 2.3 on the fuel. I think we should have bugged out earlier; but; with the information we had we thought the field would be opening soon. I think we could have done a better job at querying Center but I think they could have a better job at giving us more information. When we left; I heard ZZZ1 tell another aircraft that there were 20 aircraft holding.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
B737-700 Flight Crew reported diverting due to emergency fuel.