What’s modhop?

Who runs this thing and what is it?:

I’m Jake Redman. I spend much of my time producing interstitials and hosting shows at SiriusXM Radio. When I’m out of the office I’m at home with the family, on airplanes, inside airport lounges, hotel rooms and right here in front of the computer sharing it all with you.

I find the science of tolerable travel fascinating.  I call it a science because there seem to be a million “5 ways to get a better seat” blog posts out there with varying degrees of research (or none at all). Our approach is different: We use HD video and often 360° imagery to show you how far your legs will stretch in a premium (first, business, or premium economy) airplane seat, what kind of snacks you’ll find inside featured airport lounges and mix in a few hotel & resort reviews for good measure. Our goal is to show you if these travel upgrades are worth the extra cash, miles… or begging.

Where did “modhop” come from?

“modhop” started as a term I made up for “hopping” on the cheapest flight from your local airport to the cheapest overseas destination…then using discount carriers in that part of the world to make shorter “hops”. All this, while maintaining a minimum level of comfort on board and at the airport. As the site has evolved I’ve realized the opportunity to both praise and complain about my travel experiences for the eventual purpose of making sure you travel comfortably.

Do you receive perks from the airlines, lounges or hotels you review?

On occasion an airline will fly us to their media event or a hotel will put us up to show off improvements they’ve made, but these types of freebies are few and far between (and are usually more work than fun). In these cases there will always be full disclosure in the video or text and no one is guaranteed a good review!

How much was that fancy camera?

While I’m aware the videos I post every “modhop Monday” can still use some improvement, the quality is much better than my phone-camera reviews from just a few years ago. I keep doing my best to improve the video quality to help ensure an accurate visual for your next travel experience. To keep everything as close to that actual experience, I’m not bringing expensive photo crews or bright lights aboard flights. So if you notice someone in the seat next to you with a nice looking home video camera getting shots of the legroom, tray table, seat recline, meal or video screen, it’s not necessarily his first airplane ride.

Here’s an example of our improvements to video in the last few years:

The old:

The new(er):

Be a modhopper!

The commitment to helping you travel better is  our main focus. I encourage you to take part in the discussion. Don’t like a seat or lounge that we love? Let us know and let us know why in the comment section below each review. We’ll continue to add new functionality to make the conversation easier and more fun as we evolve.

Thank you!

We appreciate your visit and hope you keep coming back to see what airplane we’re on, lounge we’re in or hotel bed we’re fast asleep on. If you’d like to support modhop, please visit one of our sponsored links (usually marked “advertisement” or “support modhop” to avoid confusion with other links). Also, you can support us by linking to modhop.com from your own site or blog! While we dislike congested air traffic, we greatly appreciate web traffic! Thanks for your support and we look forward to talking more about travel comfort with you soon!

Welcome to modhop!

Jake Redman
Radio Guy and Frequent Traveler.

Contact Jake