Originally Posted by B3nder

I use the aspire in an opposite manner. It's there not for any "peak value" as I don't value that 14pt/$ very highly. (at 0.004/pt, that comes out to only 5.6%. And on sapphire reserve I already get 4.5%. So it's nearly a wash, and I'd actually prefer the slightly lower, but MUCH higher cash value in UR points.).
I use the aspire solely for the airline $250+ hilton resort $250+ weekend night cert, and only incidentally also use it for some of the hilton stays. I wouldn't get more value if I stayed more often at hilton. I'm buying those 3 tangible things, along with Diamond, for $450. And sometimes amex offers (like this year, the $20/mo restaurant credit).

The three benefits ($250 airline+$250hiltonResort+Night Cert) require no annual spend on the card. As long as those remain worth more than $450 to me (which is NOT guaranteed -- the resort credit is a PITA to find participating properties and the airline credit could be made more restrictive at any time...), the annual fee is a net negative cost to keep the card.

CSR is a little tougher to justify since the $100 AF increase. For me, it mostly comes down to the $75k primary car rental insurance and the Priority Pass restaurants. Along with access to cash out my other UR point earning cards with PYB, though the categories for PYB have been reduced. The doordash and lyft benefits are temporary and I place no value on them.