I don't often pay for a seat on a plane in advance, but I'm convinced this specific front-row seat is worth the splurge on any budget flight

In June, I paid $18 to sit in 1F — a front-row seat by the window — on a Scoot flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. The one-hour flight turned out to be one of the most comfortable I've flown on Scoot.

So I decided to book the same seat again when I flew Scoot from Jakarta to Singapore last week. It was a two-hour flight, so it cost $27 to reserve the seat — some $10 more than the flight to Kuala Lumpur.

The biggest perk of paying for a front-row seat is the spacious legroom. Budget airlines typically fly with smaller planes and pack as many seats as possible inside the aircraft, limiting legroom and seat space for passengers. But instead of 28 inches of legroom, I had 34 inches of space to stretch my legs — a pretty generous amount for low-cost airlines. 

Later in the flight, I reclined my seat for extra comfort — coupled with the generous legroom, it felt much more comfortable than the typical budget flight — and worth the small fee.

The basic fare on most budget flights doesn't include meals, and I always skimp out on them when booking my flight. But I often end up ordering overpriced food on board as I get hungry after an hour or two of delays. 

Thankfully, sitting at the front means I got to be served first during meal service. I opted for a cup of instant noodles — which cost 6 Singapore dollars, or $4.40 — and was served to me with hot water in less than a minute.

Since the cabin crew was posted up at the galley of the plane for most of the flight, I found it easy to request things like napkins or even purchase more items off the in-flight menu, thanks to my front-row seat. I also got an extra bottle of water on board.

Sitting in the front row came with two great perks — being called to board early, and having first dibs on the storage compartments. As I traveled with multiple carry-ons, I found it convenient to have an empty compartment to stow my things. Sitting at the front also allowed me to deplane first — which is especially helpful in avoiding long lines at immigration and the baggage claim area.

The flight to Jakarta wasn't overbooked so there wasn't anyone sitting in the aisle seat beside me, which made it easier for me to access the bathroom at the front of the plane — another upside to sitting up front.

While there are two window seats in the front row, 1F is undoubtedly the better option. It was hidden behind a plastic wall facing the galley, while the other seat on the opposite side faced a clear glass with a view of the lavatory. 

I was surprised to find two windows next to my seat, where I could see views of the sunset fading over the airport, the runway lighting up at night, and the clusters of buildings and streets in Jakarta. I managed to snap a few photos from both windows, and to me, the views never get old, even after flying so much this year.

I travel with many fragile items in my carry-on, including my laptop, one or two cameras, and even several bottles of perfume.

I usually wrap some protective material on most of them when I'm stowing my bags up top, except my laptop, which I prefer to keep in the sleeve in front of me. Previously, when I kept my laptop in a bag that I stowed overhead, the screen ended up getting cracked, so I learned my lesson to keep it where I could always see it.

Now, I travel with a small bag that I wear close to my body where I keep essentials like my passport, phone, and wallet. Most cabin crew let me wear my bag during take-off and landing, while some request for me to stow it right below my seat, which still makes it convenient to access my belongings.

Overall, 1F is still the best seat on the plane when flying a low-cost airline with a single, economy cabin. It makes me feel like I'm flying a more premium airline.