The film was released on November 25, 1987 to critical acclaim, with many praising it for Hughes' deviation from teen comedies, as well as the cast performances.

[4] In New York City, two days before Thanksgiving, advertising executive Neal Page is eager to return to his family in Chicago.

Adding to his frustration, Neal's first-class seat is reassigned to a cramped coach seat—right next to Del—on the flight to O'Hare International Airport.

A blizzard in Chicago forces the plane to divert to Wichita, Kansas, leaving Neal and Del stranded overnight.

The next day, with air travel severely delayed, Neal purchases train tickets to Chicago for himself and Del, opting for separate compartments.

He bids Del farewell, but their journey is interrupted when the locomotive breaks down near Jefferson City, Missouri, leaving passengers stranded in a field.

After narrowly avoiding disaster and pulling over, Del's carelessly discarded cigarette ignites the car, setting it ablaze.

With his credit cards destroyed, Neal barters his expensive watch for a motel room but refuses to help Del.

The film also featured the contemporary pop song "Modigliani (Lost in Your Eyes)" by Book of Love, using both the original single and the Requiem Mass Remix.

A special instrumental version of "Power to Believe" by The Dream Academy, which the band recorded at Hughes's request, is extensively used in the film as Del's unofficial theme.

The instrumental version of "Power to Believe" was not released until 2014, when The Dream Academy included it on its compilation album The Morning Lasted All Day: A Retrospective.

[15] Planes, Trains and Automobiles marked a widely noticed change in the repertoire of John Hughes, generally considered a teen angst filmmaker at the time.

That's why the comedy, which begins securely planted in the twin genres of the road movie and the buddy picture, is able to reveal so much heart and truth.

The site's critics consensus states: "Thanks to the impeccable chemistry between Steve Martin and John Candy, as well as a deft mix of humor and heart, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a hilarious, heartfelt holiday classic.

[25] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade "B+" on scale of A+ to F.[26] In October 2022, Paramount announced a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release.

The release includes 75 minutes of deleted and extended footage, much of which was thought to be lost but was rediscovered and cleaned up from the John Hughes archive.