The first season of Destination X, NBC’s new travel competition reality series, has come to an end. The 12 Contestants in the big bus were whittled down to just three: Rick Szabo, Biggy Bailey, and Peter Weber (an alum from The Traitors). In the end, birdwatcher Szabo was victorious as he used his vast global knowledge and life experience to suss out the tricky final riddle that placed him inside Big Ben, opening a case filled with $250,000.
Below, Bailey, Weber, and Szabo share with NBC Insider their thoughts on making it all the way to the end:
Who won Destination X 2025? Winner Rick Szabo reflects
What did Rick Szabo think when he first met his Destination X competitors?
“Immediately when I took off my goggles and looked around the plane, I’m like, ‘I’ve got this,’” he laughed.
But then Szabo got to know his fellow players, and he was less certain. But he knew something important that they didn’t: He was presenting a persona of himself to the cast that wasn’t entirely true.
He hid his strengths to appear less threatening in the competition. “I’m keeping my story quiet,” he decided. “I’m not telling anybody about my travel. I’m not telling anybody about my birding skills. I’m not telling anybody about my negotiating tactics. Why would you tell people that? I felt like, strategically, I had the best advantage that I had the experience and I was keeping it quiet.”
“I never broke my character for 30 days, which was exhausting,” he said. “I came off that bus just a mental wreck. And that’s why, whenever I talked about my family, I teared up because that was the only real part about my story. At night, when we’re tossing and turning in our beds, going over the clues, I’m doing that too. But I’m also going over what were my conversations with who? What were my stories to who? Who knows what? Mentally, I was exhausted.”
RELATED: Destination X’s Mack Reveals One Player Called Her After the Show to Apologize: Wasn’t “Using Me”
Back home with his family, Szabo confirmed he’s friends with everyone from the cast still. “We message on social media. No problems there,” he said.
As for what he’s going to do with the $250,000, he said, “I would love to have another house again. My wife and I are both entrepreneurs. We’re starting up businesses, including my bird watching. We’re going to invest in our businesses and buy a house when we can.”
Peter Weber, second place
RELATED: All About Destination X Star Peter Weber’s Reality Show Career: The Bachelor, The Traitors & More
He may have missed the win, but Weber is feeling grateful after his time on Destination X, one of many reality shows he’s starred on. Weber got his start on The Bachelor, where he was lovingly called Pilot Pete. Turns out, aviation is where his true passion still lies. “I feel very lucky to have a career that I’m so passionate about,” he said. “It’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I don’t feel the need to go do another show. But I think the Leo in me [has] competitor fire…I’m not gonna lie, I am still hungry. I feel like I need it. I need to win one. It would mean a lot. I’m that person that if I can get to the top of that mountain, I’m cool leaving on top, and I haven’t been able to do that. But the right opportunity has to come along and has to work with my day job. And if that comes, then I’d love to take it up.”
Biggy Bailey, third place
For a guy who had never left the United States before becoming a Contestant on Destination X, Biggy Bailey has plenty to be proud of, even though he just missed making the final two.
“I genuinely loved almost everyone on that bus, and to see anyone go was just brutal because of the bonds we had built,” Bailey said. “It was tough, but God, it was fun! I didn’t realize how fun that was going to be. And the best part about it was not having a cell phone. Just having to talk to people was the best. If I could do that again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I would throw my phone in the river and not give a damn.”
RELATED: Everyone Who’s Been Eliminated So Far on Destination X
RELATED: Destination X’s Shayne Talks Ally’s Romance with Mack and His Real Feelings About Rick
Destination X Season 1 is available to stream on Peacock.
