Can You Drink At Under 21 On Flights. What's The Age
Intro
I thought that this would be a cool post to put a little twist on. When flying, a lot of people enjoy a drink or two, or for some even more 😂. With that being said, what is the minimum drinking age on airlines?
This can vary and, of course, is not often upheld on a lot of airlines. Let's get into it!
Age Requirement
Out of airlines that are not dry airlines, American carriers seem to be the strictest when it comes to this. If you are flying on an American Carrier, there is a minimum drinking age of 21. Seeing as I am 22 years old with a baby face, I have been ID'd multiple times. If I have to estimate, I would say one in every 30-40 flights with a US carrier. Before Covid, they used to be a lot more lenient, but as of now, American carriers are quite strict.
With American carriers out of the way, the rest become a little more lenient. I have found that most carriers around the world have a drinking age of 18, but it isn't as strictly enforced. This can range from the likes of Qatar Airways, Lufthansa, British Airways, and more. It has gotten stricter than 10 years ago (when one of those carriers used to serve me champagne at 13😅), but it still is pretty lenient. Never once have I been ID'd on a carrier that isn't a US carrier, or...
Japan Airlines. When heading off on my first solo trip to Asia, I was flying Japan Airlines premium economy from Dallas to Manila. Little did I know that the drinking age was 20 in Japan. They did ID me, and as they should have, refused me service (I was a naughty boy, don't be like me). I have found that Japanese airlines are a little stricter but nowhere near the same level as US carriers.
Final Thoughts
If you are planning on flying and are thinking about drinking, check it into the age requirements for the airline. If you are from the UK (between 18-21) and flying to New York, where your choices consist of BA or AA, you might just want to choose BA over AA if you plan on having a drink.
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