Elimination

Steve & Allie are eliminated in Penang, Malaysia on Season 16.

A team is Eliminated from the Race if they arrive at a Pit Stop behind all other teams, except in certain circumstances. If a leg is a Non-Elimination Leg, the last place team is saved and may have to face a penalty. If the leg is a Superleg, the teams receive another clue from Phil and keep racing. When a team is eliminated they must quickly either leave the pit stop, to go home or pay themselves for their own stay.

There are only three teams not eliminated every Race; the winners, second place team, and the third place team. Every other team is eliminated at the Pit Stop unless they cannot finish a challenge. Phil Keoghan may go out to the team's location to eliminate them if they won't/can't finish a task (Marshall & Lance in Season 5, Lena & Kristy in Season 6, Toni & Dallas in Season 13, Maria & Tiffany in Season 15, Dana & Adrian and Joe & Heidi both in Season 16, Bergen & Kurt in Season 26, Kelly & Shevonne in Season 27, Becca & Floyd and Shamir & Sara both in Season 29, Alex & Conor in Season 30, and Andrea & Malaina in Season 35). Phil will also go to the team's location if they just arrive hours late to eliminate them if haven't reached a clue yet after all the other teams have checked in (Chester & Ephraim in The Amazing Race 23, Lucas & Brittany in The Amazing Race 30).

"Philimination"

The eliminations themselves have now earned the name "Philimination" in the Amazing Race fan community, a portmanteau of the host's name and the word "elimination".

Surprise Elimination

Main article: Surprise Elimination

Eric & Lisa fail the first challenge and never made it out of Los Angeles on Season 15.

A Surprise Elimination, also called a Midpoint Elimination, occurs when teams are eliminated at places during the race other than the Pit Stop.

Season 10 introduced the first surprise elimination when the last team to arrive at a checkpoint midway through the first leg was eliminated on the spot. At the end of the leg, there was a normal elimination at the mat, making it the first time two teams were eliminated in the same leg.

Season 15 used the second surprise elimination, where the last team remaining at the opening task of the Race was eliminated. However, at the end of the leg, no one was eliminated at the Pit Stop as it was a non-elimination leg.

Season 25 featured a midpoint elimination at the final leg in Los Angeles, California, in which four teams raced in the final leg for the first time. The fourth team to arrive at the site of the first Roadblock would be eliminated. The concept returned the following season, wherein the fourth team to arrive at the P2 Ranch in Dallas, Texas would not be permitted to perform the Route Information task and would be eliminated instead.

Surprise eliminations were also featured in international versions. The second season of the Israeli version had an airport elimination on the first leg. The race started with 11 teams and after some tasks in Israel, the last team to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was eliminated. The third season of China Rush featured a surprise elimination similar to season 15 of the US version, but with 10 sets of bus passes among the 11 teams. The first season of the Norwegian version also had an airport elimination, in which teams had to find a set of tickets in one of four desks at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. The team without tickets would be eliminated.

Double Elimination

Main article: Double Elimination

The second leg of Season 19 featured a Double Elimination in which the last two teams to check in the Pit Stop were eliminated.

Elimination Station

Main article: Elimination Station

Starting from Season 11, a CBS.com web series followed the eliminated teams as they wait for the race to conclude. The web series ended on Unfinished Business when it was replaced by Phil's Diary.

Sequesterville

Main article: Sequesterville

Sequesterville is a centralized place where eliminated teams are sequestered for the duration of the Race. Here, racers must wait until the Race has neared the final leg.