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The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic derailed The Amazing Race‘s plans in 2020. As a show that relies on traveling, a pandemic was its worst-case scenario. However, the series overcame many obstacles and was able to continue production in late 2021. Although they must adhere to multiple COVID-19 protocols, The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan is hopeful the show will return to its original format soon.

Phil Keoghan, who hosts 'The Amazing Race' Season 34 on CBS, wears a dark gray jacket.
Phil Keoghan | Photo: Kit Karzen/CBS

‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34 teams travel on the same plane

To maximize the teams’ safety in The Amazing Race Season 34, producers and Phil Keoghan brought back the charter plane from season 33.

As fans recall, when the racers returned in season 33, they had to use the same plane to travel between countries. It wasn’t safe for teams to book separate flights and risk exposure to other passengers, and it still wasn’t when CBS filmed The Amazing Race Season 34.

So the new racers use the same The Amazing Race plane to ensure their safety.

Phil Keoghan shares an update on future ‘The Amazing Race’ seasons

A fan of The Amazing Race tweeted Phil Keoghan, “My favorite part is contestants having to book airplanes, and now you’re using charter, bummer.”

The host responded, “Hang tight, my friend … booking flights will be back as soon as the ‘return to work’ COVID protocols are off our back. Right now, having a charter [equals The Amazing Race] on TV … no charter [equals] no [The Amazing Race] on TV. Let’s stay focused on what’s good in the world.”

Keoghan added in another tweet, “I am very proud of cast and crew working so hard to negotiate all the challenges of making [The Amazing Race] at this time … Safety is and has always been our [number one] priority.”

So as soon as COVID-19 safety protocols are lifted, the racers will be booking their own flights again. But in the meantime, viewers will just have to miss out on the airport chaos.

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Phil Keoghan explains why ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34 started outside of the United States

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Phil Keoghan shared the producers’ thought process behind starting The Amazing Race Season 34 in Munich, Germany, instead of in the United States.

“Well, a lot of times when you’re building up in the United States, we’ve done it so many times — 33 times, to be precise — and so you know what to expect,” the host explained. “You know how you’re going to get into the start of the show. We have the start line here, but then you leave straight away, and you get on a plane, and you go somewhere overseas.”

Keoghan added, “This was different because we’re still working with the charter plane. And so everybody got transported to the starting line, and right out of the gate, being in a different place, it just had a totally different feel. It felt very fresh and different. And that ride coming into the middle of Munich was just a wild ride to the start line. We’re trying to do things differently, trying to keep things fresh.”

The Amazing Race Season 34 airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

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