that's an interesting point, with all the partners they have at JFK, it's still a good option to connect, which is why you see these flights to BWI/PHL/DCA. But as they continue to cut back flights worthy of being connected to, how much of these connection flights are going to stick.
Anyhow, next 2 years should tell us a lot about AA's ambitions in JFK. I value their actions a lot more than what they say publicly.