Under current FAA regulations, passengers aren't allowed to drink alcohol while flying unless it's served by a flight attendant. Your flight attendant also isn't allowed to serve you if you're intoxicated.
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The FAA doesn't police in-flight drinking, but airlines certainly do and typically follow the laws of the country in which they're based. For travelers, that means no matter the drinking age of the country you're in or over or en route to a U.S.-based airline won't serve alcohol to any passenger under 21.
The TSA rule of thumb is that all alcohol must be less than 140-proof (70% ABV). Whether you're packing mini bottles in your carry-on or you're bringing back a case of beer in your checked bag, make sure the alcohol is unopened and in its original packaging so you don't raise any red flags with the authorities.
Pilots may not use alcohol “while on-duty or within 8 hours of performing flight crew member duties.” The regulations also require that crew members submit to blood alcohol tests when requested by law enforcement officials authorized to ask for those tests.
§ 121.575 Alcoholic beverages. (a) No person may drink any alcoholic beverage aboard an aircraft unless the certificate holder operating the aircraft has served that beverage to him.
For beer and wine under 24% ABV, there aren't any limitations on how much can travel in checked bags as long as it fits in your luggage. Anything over 70% ABV won't be permitted, but this would only apply to distillates and extremely hard liquor, not beer or wine.
No, anyone under the age of 21 is not allowed to pack alcohol in their checked bags. Can I bring beer or wine on a plane in my checked baggage? Yes, alcohol that's less than 24% ABV (48 proof), including most beer and wine, is allowed in unlimited quantities in your checked luggage.
The FAA says a pilot will be removed from a plane if their breath alcohol concentration level is 0.04 or greater. Pilots also must not drink within 8 hours before flying, the so-called “bottle to throttle” time period. Some airlines have stricter requirements.