While I yearn for the days where I was young enough for this to be relevant to me, I figure it’s still a topic worth addressing, for any younger OMAAT readers. What’s the minimum age to drink onboard a flight? Well, it’s not always that straightforward…
The legal minimum drinking age on planes
Let me start with the legal answer, which is actually not that relevant. The legal minimum drinking age on a flight is determined by the law of the country where the airline you’re flying is based. Now, as I’ll explain below, many airlines have additional restrictions beyond that.
As you can tell, this creates an interesting situation. For example, on a flight between Atlanta and Frankfurt, the minimum drinking age is different on Delta than on Lufthansa.
Now, there are a few more points to make:
- There are some dry airlines that choose not to serve alcohol, even if they’re from a country that doesn’t ban alcohol completely
- Some countries have restrictions that they apply to foreign airlines; for example, Saudi Arabia doesn’t allow airlines to serve alcohol when flying to & from Saudi Arabia, while over Saudi Arabian airspace; meanwhile if you’re just overflying Saudi Arabia between two other countries, airlines can serve alcohol
- Different laws can often apply to pre-departure beverages, since those are served on the ground, so they’re viewed differently than alcohol served inflight; as a result, local laws apply, airlines have to pay taxes on that alcohol, etc.
Airline policies determine drinking age on planes
While laws set the absolute minimum standard for the age at which you can drink onboard a flight, the reality is that airlines each have their own policies, and those take priority over the laws (since they’re always at least as strict as the law). Just to give some examples:
- On all US-based airlines, the minimum drinking age is 21, even if you’re flying internationally, and/or are originating in a foreign country
- On foreign airlines, the most common minimum drinking age is 18, even if you’re flying to the United States; this includes everything from Aeromexico, to British Airways, to Qantas
- Some foreign airlines might even have different drinking ages depending on the type of alcohol; for example, Lufthansa’s minimum drinking age is 18 for liquor, and 16 for beer and wine, while Finnair’s minimum drinking age is 21 for liquor, and 18 for beer and wine
- There are some airlines that have drinking ages between 18 and 21; for example, in Japan the minimum drinking age is 20, so that also applies on All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines
Generally the minimum drinking age applies regardless of the phase of flight. So on a US airline, you can only drink at the age of 21, even over European airspace, while on a European airline, you can drink at the age of 16-21 (it depends), even over US airspace. Keep in mind that in some cases, these airline policies are significantly more strict than laws in the countries otherwise.
On some level it’s just about how you act
Alcohol is somewhat taboo in the United States among young people, though outside the country, it’s much less of a big deal, and is normalized more (in a responsible way, with kids often learning about alcohol from their parents).
So if you look and act the part, generally you won’t be denied alcohol on an international flight on a foreign airline, even if you’re technically underage. Of course there are limits, and it all depends on how old you look.
Furthermore, in the event you’re denied, it’s no biggie. International laws are complicated, so it’s not like they’ll have the police waiting for you upon landing if you request a drink underage — you can just say “oh, I thought the drinking age was ___.”
I’m by no means encouraging people to underage drink, but am just sharing my observations and experience from back in the day, so that people can have realistic expectations.
Bottom line
The answer of the minimum drinking age on flights is kind of complicated. The absolute minimum age will reflect the drinking age in the country where the airline you’re flying is based. But even beyond that, many airlines will have stricter rules, so that they can have a streamlined policy throughout their network.
It is interesting how two planes in international airspace operating exactly the same route could have different minimum drinking ages, but that’s how it works…
What has your experience been with the minimum drinking age of flights?
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