Is membership in an airport or airline lounge program worth the expense? Depending on your travel reasons and frequency, the answer could be a resounding yes or equally definitive no.

As a frequent flier for 40 years, I maintained a lounge membership because of the features that supported my travel needs: a quiet place to work, internet access, exceptional customer service, a reasonable array of snacks and even meals and a place to charge my various electronics. As my travel decreased in frequency and changed from almost entirely business to mostly personal, a re-evaluation of my $500 to $600 annual lounge membership was in order.

What should you consider in deciding whether or not to pay for a lounge membership — or get a credit card that includes access or join a private club. Which lounges should you consider?

First, estimate how many times a year you — and one or two travel companions — are likely to use lounges. Determine the cost per person per visit. Then consider the perks and features you will use and their value to you. If you are at the airport at a mealtime and want a couple of drinks, using lounge facilities could be worth $40 to $50 since that’s what a light meal and two drinks might cost on the concourse. If you are traveling with a spouse or partner or associate, that’s $80 to $100. In that case, you’d recoup the cost of your membership in five to eight visits.

Second, make sure the lounges in the airports you frequent are the right lounges. Most airlines are members of an alliance, so you might be able to access a much larger network of lounges. However, many alliance lounges don’t honor other airlines’ lounge memberships, so check.

If you have a certain status level with an alliance airline, you often can access alliance members’ lounges on the international part of your travel — sometimes the domestic portion, too — even if you’re not a member of any alliance airline’s lounge system.

Third, consider how tight your flight connections are. If you like to book minimal connecting times and get to the airport as late as possible, will you even have time to use the lounge?

Fourth, consider alternatives to airline lounges. Many private entities now have lounges or clubs at domestic and international airports. The ways to access are varied and include courtesy of certain credit cards, pay-as-you-go and annual memberships. For many occasional business travelers seeking a quiet place to relax before or after a flight, grab a snack and catch-up on work, these clubs could be ideal.

Finally, consider the various perks in the lounges you can enter. If you’re traveling internationally or long-haul domestic, a lounge with showers and daybeds could be a fabulous benefit after many hours in transit. If you’re flying in business class, many alliance partners — and some domestic airlines — have special lounges with excellent features, great food and top-shelf drinks. Even better, most of these special lounges don’t have members. Access is strictly based on your class of travel.

Two warnings:

Remain wary of buying one-time passes. Many airlines and other lounge providers are revamping their lounges and won’t let you use the passes if the lounge is filled up with members. This is especially true in international locations.

Check out the locations and details for each lounge you want to use during your trip. Sometimes the access rules, especially for private clubs, are different internationally and your card might not work.