The Amazing Race Season 39 is underway with 13 teams chasing a $1 million prize, a two-night CBS premiere and a major format change that gives every pair an Express Pass from the starting line.
Phil Keoghan returns as host as the competition begins in Vancouver, British Columbia. The season will cover more than 25,000 miles across five continents, nine countries and 13 cities, combining the show’s familiar navigation pressure with a new strategic decision every team must make during the opening six legs.
A new twist changes the race from Day 1
Season 39 begins with something The Amazing Race has never done before: all 13 teams receive their own Express Pass.
The advantage can be used to bypass an eligible task, potentially saving valuable time when a team is struggling. There is one important restriction â every Express Pass must be used by the end of Leg 6.
That deadline creates an immediate dilemma. Teams can use the pass to escape early trouble or gamble on saving it for a more difficult challenge later.
CBS confirmed the Season 39 cast and race details ahead of the premiere.
Meet the 13 teams racing for $1 million
The cast mixes athletes, family members, couples and longtime friends with careers ranging from aviation and engineering to healthcare and forensic science.
- Ali Krieger & Joanna Lohman â professional athletes and moms
- Ann-Marie Tejcek & Riley Tejcek â mother and daughter; healthcare executive and Marine officer
- Anuar Tager & Andrea Tager Ballesca â father and daughter; developer and medical student
- Cody Langlois & Jaime Tribo â siblings; civil engineer and dietitian
- Conner Wilson & Garrett McGuire â childhood friends; media producer and engineer
- Dafina Dunmore & Saran Dunmore â sisters; bond analyst/DJ and personal trainer/founder
- Daisha Wilks & Dalton Hamby â dating couple and videographers
- Doug Matter & Dylan Matter â grandfather and grandson; retired fire chief and college student
- Erin Taylor & Javi Vintimilla â married couple; HR head and pilot
- Jody Rebhun & Jenn Naso â best friends and moms; history teacher and forensic scientist
- Katie Schultz & Charlotte Schultz â sisters and estheticians
- Michelle Patterson & Matthew Patterson â married couple; business owners/professionals
- Zach Johnson & Nate Johnson â brothers working in sales and business
Among the most recognizable competitors is Ali Krieger, the retired U.S. soccer star and two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, who races alongside fellow former professional player Joanna Lohman.
Viewers following CBS competition programming can also catch up on the latest Survivor competition developments, where strategic advantages can similarly change a contestant’s game.
A 25,000-mile journey around the world
The race starts in Vancouver before moving through destinations in Spain, Morocco, Albania, Sri Lanka, Laos, Australia and New Zealand. The competition eventually returns to the United States for a finish in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Albania represents a milestone for the franchise, with Season 39 marking the show’s first visit to the country.
Some challenges have already been previewed. Contestants will face an approximately 200-foot jump from the catwalk at BC Place in Vancouver, travel alongside camels in Morocco and take to the air on a paramotor in Laos.
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Madrid awaits in the second premiere night
The special premiere continues Thursday, Oct. 1, as the racers travel to Madrid, Spain.
CBS says the episode, titled “Are Tomatoes Good for Skin Care?”, will feature a new alliance. The network has also teased an Express Pass decision that leaves one team with immediate regret, putting the season’s biggest new strategic element into play almost immediately.
The Amazing Race Season 39 schedule
The season premiered Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. Part two airs Thursday, Oct. 1 from 9:30-11 p.m. ET/PT.
Beginning Oct. 7, The Amazing Race returns to Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The 90-minute episodes air directly after Survivor.
Fans keeping track of CBS reality programming can also check the network’s changing primetime lineup through our Big Brother CBS schedule coverage.
Where to watch The Amazing Race Season 39
U.S. viewers can watch new episodes on CBS. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can stream their local CBS station live where available and watch episodes on demand.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers can stream episodes on demand the day after they air. Live-TV streaming services carrying local CBS affiliates may also offer the show, although channel availability and subscription terms vary by location.
The Express Pass change gives Season 39 an additional strategic layer from its opening minutes. With every team holding the same advantage but facing the same Leg 6 deadline, choosing when to use the pass could prove nearly as important as winning a challenge.
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