For those cards that confer elite status and thus enhanced earn rate on the non-tax portion of charges, like the Hilton Aspire, that earn rate should also be factored in. Since it would apply on about 90% of the final charge amount, the Diamond status from the Aspire makes it effectively 23 pts (or 11.5%) return, unless you're organically Diamond (somewhere between if you're organically some other status).

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