AllMusic said that although Small Planes consisted of outtakes, the album was "as good as many bands' major works", and that it was a "unique and special, gentle, pure, and precious" record. Similarly, a writer for Audiogalaxy said that even if the album was "cobbled together out of tracks left behind between sessions for 1995's Glow and the present, Small Planes largely displays the consistent wholeness of a new studio release."
AllMusic commended Small Planes for being as good as many bands' major works, describing it as "unique, special, gentle, pure, and precious." Audiogalaxy also acknowledged that even though the album was made from leftover tracks between 1995's Glow and this release, it still exhibits the consistency of a new studio recording.