1. If you fly regularly, there will be a times when you are unexpectedly stuck at the airport for hours. When that happens, being in the lounge rather than on the floor next to the only electric plug for 50 yards is worth almost any price.

2. And when that happens, you can get help from the counter people at the lounge - a much shorter line.

3. You get a bite to eat and a drink, often a paper. That is probably worth $20 a visit or so right there.

4. Reduced stress level. It is a more pleasant place to wait, fire up the laptop and work or take a call. When you travel long routes for business, business class and lounge access make for an entirely different experience than flying coach over long routes. It can turn a miserable experience into a pleasant, or at least tolerable, one.