LONGING FOR LIMA
Helicopters transported the eleven Teams of two to the historic harbor in Long Beach, California, where host Phil Keoghan welcomed them to the starting line of THE AMAZING RACE. After informing the Teams there would be eight elimination legs over the course of the Race, Phil signaled the start, and Teams raced to their bags, where they learned they would be flying to Lima, Peru on one of two flights. After landing, they must travel by bus to the Plaza de Armas to find their next clue. While most Teams had few difficulties en route to LAX, Megan & Heidi received a scare when Heidi nearly crashed on the freeway. Shaken up, Heidi pulled over so Megan could drive while Heidi tried to calm her nerves.

On the first shuttle from the parking lot to the airport, Susan & Patrick, Ron & Kelly and Ryan & Chuck opted to get off at the closer American Airlines terminal, while boyfriends Lynn & Alex took a chance and went to the United counter. The gamble proved disastrous for the boyfriends when they discovered the United flight landed in Lima almost one and a half hours after the American flight. Dashing madly to the American terminal, Lynn & Alex found themselves in line behind the Teams on the second shuttle and knew there would be no space on the earlier flight. Booking tickets on the first flight were Ron & Kelly, Susan & Patrick, Ryan & Chuck, Debbie & Bianca, on-and-off dating couple Ray & Deana, and Megan & Heidi. On the second flight were Lynn & Alex, Rob & Amber, retired married couple Meredith & Gretchen, brothers Brian & Greg, and married couple Uchenna & Joyce.