The reason I'll pay extra for the aisle seat is two-fold. One, I don't like not having immediate access to things.
I'll admit I'm a little bit of a control freak, for better or for worse. So, being unable to get up and stretch my legs or use the bathroom whenever I want — when there isn't turbulence, of course — is not my idea of an stress-free journey.
The second issue snuck up on me in the past year.
After a decade of adventuring without fear of most things, I've developed a little bit of claustrophobia when flying. I realized this after opting for the window on a few ultra-long-haul journeys last year, thinking I'd maybe sleep easier.
However, the tightness made it more difficult. The aisle seat lets me stretch an arm or leg out when needed, giving me just enough wiggle room.
Being self-aware of all this, it just makes sense to pay extra for an aisle rather than make my personal needs anybody else's problem.
I'm also a people pleaser, so there's no way I'm disrupting my neighbors to let me out from the window seat unless it's an absolute emergency.
I know my preference is debatable. Some people complain about the aisle because of things like the galley cart hitting the seat, a lack of privacy, and difficulty sleeping because they prefer to lean against the fuselage wall.
Personally, none of this bothers me. I can sleep as long as I have a headrest, and I'm a heavy sleeper who doesn't wake up to noise or a sudden jolt.