The Amazing Race Season 39 starts with a first for the franchise: all 13 teams get an Express Pass at the starting line. Host Phil Keoghan reveals the twist in Vancouver, where the two-person teams begin a route that will cover five continents, nine countries and 13 cities. The special two-night premiere begins Wednesday, September 30, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
The catch is the deadline. Every team has to use its pass by the end of Leg 6. That means the advantage has to be weighed against what may be waiting later in the season. A pass that stays unused too long is no advantage at all, but spending it early gives up a tool the team might want after the route gets harder.
Why the 13-pass twist changes the opening
Express Passes have been part of the Race before, but this is the first time every team begins with one. The starting order will still matter, and pairs will make their choices at different points as they encounter challenges. Each team has to weigh the task in front of it against the six-leg deadline.
The route gives those decisions a long runway. It spans more than 25,000 miles across five continents, nine countries and 13 cities, with Vancouver as the starting line and the series’ first visit to Albania among the stops. The length of the race gives teams time to wonder whether they should spend a pass early or keep it for a later leg.
Among the teams are professional soccer players Ali Krieger and Joanna Lohman, mother and daughter Ann-Marie and Riley Tejcek, and grandfather and grandson Doug and Dylan Matter. The full lineup includes 13 pairs, so viewers can track how the rule plays out across different relationships and racing styles instead of following a single celebrity team.
Who’s who in The Amazing Race Season 39?
- HostPlayed by Phil Keoghan
- Pro athlete teamPlayed by Ali Krieger and Joanna Lohman
- TeamPlayed by Daisha Wilks and Dalton Hamby
That decision sits inside a race where delays matter. CBS describes teams reaching each destination only after completing physical or mental challenges; pairs that fall furthest behind are eliminated as the show progresses. The first pair to reach the final destination wins $1 million. With everyone carrying a pass, no team can count on holding the only one, but each pair controls when to spend theirs.
When and where to watch
The premiere is a two-night event: Part 1 airs Wednesday, September 30, and Part 2 follows Thursday, October 1, both at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. The show returns to its regular Wednesday slot on October 7. In the United States, Paramount+ Premium subscribers can stream episodes live with their local CBS feed; subscribers to any Paramount+ tier can watch on demand the day after broadcast. The on-demand episodes are not available before their CBS airings.
The first episode’s key question is when teams decide to use their passes. None can wait indefinitely: every one expires at the end of Leg 6.
