Well, this one’s a delicate one to reply to. My perspective on this has changed over the years. Nobody wants to be called out on their alcohol consumption, but in general, after ten years of frequent flying, I’ve noticed that an unhealthy relationship with alcohol often goes with the territory. I suspect having alcohol be free on most flights and in many hotel lounges has a lot to do with things, as does a variety of challenges that come with life on the road. Being surrounded by a cohort of others who also enjoy the hospitality booze can help normalize it, too. A drink or two at the lounge plus several at the plane plus a welcome drink at your hotel plus a nightcap all seem reasonable in isolation, but it adds up surprisingly quickly - in calories and wear on your body, if not in intoxication.

At the end of the day, consider whether you are comfortable with your own alcohol consumption. That’s something you have to consider deep down, and it may cause an angry reaction as first as you contemplate it. If you aren’t - perhaps you can’t remember the last time you had a flight where you didn’t have a drink, or even a day where you didn’t, and if that makes you uncomfortable - try dialing things back, or consider reaching out for help. There’s no shame in it, and you don’t even have to tell anyone else you’re doing it. Heck, a lot of people actually choose to do a dry January for that reason.

A good friend passed out after having bit too much to drink on a TATL flight, and while he was fine with a bit of medical care and the flight proceeded normally, it spurred him to rethink his consumption, and he dialed things back considerably after that. The amount he had wouldn’t have been a problem on the ground for him, but altitude did have an effect on the situation. Now, instead of a “four or more standard drinks per flight” guy, he’s a “one or two”/“wine with dinner” sort. He mostly achieved that with a rule where he alternates one drink with one glass of water or something else nonalcoholic to prevent dehydration.

Thats where I’ve landed, too. I drink a fair amount and am no prude/teetotaler, but I was never a four-to-six-Woodford-minis-in-one-transcon sort - I’m not waifishly small, but that amount of bourbon would completely knock me out and it strikes me as excessive. Particularly at altitude. I have been mostly a “at least one drink every flight” sort, though, and will certainly work my way through the wine list on Delta One flights to try as many of the options as are interesting.

But on days when I’m not feeling it, I’ve tried to be consciously better about not ordering something just because it’s free. Sometimes I steal one of the good teabags from the Sky Club to use on a domestic flight, and other times I’ll cook up a virgin cocktail just for something different (Fresca, splash of cranapple and a lime wedge is one of my go tos now!).

At home, I’m a bit of a wine aficionado, so we also bought a Coravin so my wife and I can pour ourselves a single glass of something rather than committing to a while bottle. That’s been great because it’s made us more comfortable buying fancier bottles, which we can enjoy on more than one occasion. I’d rather have one glass of something good than 2-3 of something terrible these days.

Separatey, come on, folks - do not be an idiot behind the wheel after flying. Stop drinking at least an hour before landing if you’re driving, use Uber/Lyft, etc. You don’t have magical superpowers others don’t, despite your tolerance, and driving while buzzed is still drunk driving.

Unlike UA, DL doesn’t do formal “wine flights”, but I’ve never had a problem with trying a little bit of all the wines. Just tell the F/A you’d like to sample them all over the course of the meal, and they’ll usually be happy to give a lighter pour/swap out glassware when it’s time to switch to reds. They also serve from a cart, so it’s easy to taste one wine and then switch to the other if you don’t like it - which is my usual strategy for Chardonnays, which are hit or miss for me based on style.

Actually, the problem I encounter most often is that sometimes my glass will mysteriously refill without me being quick enough to stop it if I’m engrossed in a movie; try keeping your glass away from the aisle if you’re ready to switch out.