Is Planes, Trains and Automobiles a Christmas Movie? What Holiday Is It?

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is a comedy movie released in 1987. The film is produced, written, and directed by John Hughes and it follows two guys, Neal and Del on their journey where they encounter various troubles. Neal is a marketing executive trying to come home on time for the holidays and Del is a salesman selling shower rings. These two are very different in characters, so when they are paired up on their trip, something ought to go wrong. The movie’s plot is centered around holidays and you might be wondering if Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a Christmas movie?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is not a Christmas movie. The storyline of the movie begins two days before Thanksgiving and it follows Neal, a marketing executive, who is trying to get home to his family on time for Thanksgiving. Alongside him is Del, a good-hearted salesman who is trying to help Neal to come home on time.

As Neal is trying to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving, he struggles with various obstacles along the way. He can’t catch a cab to the airport, the plane is rerouted, the train is malfunctioning, and the car ride is surely the one he will never forget. Alongside him, there is goofy Del who enjoys Neal’s company even though Neal is not always particularly nice to him.

Is Planes, Trains and Automobiles a Christmas movie?

Plane, Trains and Automobiles is a comedy that follows two different characters in nature, Neal and Del. The movie begins two days before Thanksgiving with Del being in New York on a business meeting. When the meeting is over, he rushes to catch a taxi in order to get to the airport so he can be home in Chicago on the same day.

The storyline is set two days before Thanksgiving and Neal and Del’s journey is a couple of days long until Neal is home and Del accompanies him. So, no, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is not a Christmas movie because the storyline of the movie is settled around one month before Christmas with the Thanksgiving holiday being the center of the plot.

Some might think that this is a Christmas movie because of the winter season, snow, and traffic jams. People usually associate these things with Christmas movies because they are mostly portrayed in them. But, this is a movie that is centered around another holiday.

What holiday is it Planes, Trains and Automobiles about?

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a Thanksgiving movie. The storyline begins two days before Thanksgiving in New York. Neal is in New York on a business meeting and he can’t wait that the meeting is over so he can go to an airplane to catch a plane and come home to Chicago on time for Thanksgiving. Things start to go sideways when he struggles to catch a taxi to the airport and Del is the one who ‘steals’ his taxi.

When Neal finally arrives at the airport, first-class seats are already booked and he encounters Del once again. The plane is rerouted because of the storm so instead of Chicago, they landed in Wichita where these two shared a motel room and were mugged in the process. After that, they tried their luck with trains. But, the train broke down and they had to take a bus. Eventually, they came to the conclusion that maybe is for the best that they part their ways and go their separate ways.

However, some unfortunate sequence of events occurred and these two were paired up again, but this time they continued their journey in the automobile. After facing imminent death in the car and a little accident with a cigarette they were forced to leave their car behind and find another transportation.

Eventually, somehow they managed to do so Neal was home for Thanksgiving, and Del accompanied him to meet his family.

Around the Thanksgiving holiday, this is a very popular movie and many households consider it to be a tradition to watch it during this season. Some critics believe that it is one of the best Thanksgiving movies as it is lighthearted with a perfect ending.

Why did Del eventually come with Neal to meet his family?

Upon arriving in New York, Neal and Del said their goodbyes, and they parted ways. However, later on, Neal ruminated about their trip and about what Del said about his wife, and how he wasn’t home for years so something just didn’t seem right. Later on, when Neal came to the train station, he saw Del sitting there even though he said he was going home.

Then he admitted to Neal that he actually does not have a home and that his wife has passed away years ago. So Neal invited him to his home where he eventually meets his family and introduces Del as his friend.