AA often loads the initial change into the schedule ~3 months into the future and then updates everything past that a week or 2 later. They did something similar to PHL-MEX and I expect this will have the same outcome.

Looks as though this has been brought forward. My wife was booked on the Friday afternoon service for the Memorial Day weekend and today received notification of a schedule change, which now involves a stop in CLT. The only non-stop flight from JFK/LGA to MCO that day is first thing in the morning from LGA.

I was hoping she'd be able to go via MIA and enjoy one of the 767s or 777s that are currently rostered that afternoon and enjoy the Flagship Lounge on the stopover but unfortunately non-stop timings for the afternoon are the only way it'll work for her.

This route going away is a personal loss for us, her grandparents live in Orlando and we used to enjoy the Friday afternoon/Sunday evening flights back every couple of months for the last four or five years. The MCO-JFK service in the evening went away in 2015 or so and we've put up with LGA arrivals for the last few years. With the timings on Friday evening service JFK-MCO getting later and later in the last 18months or so we've only used it the once, instead opting for B6's almost hourly service on brand new A321s. No Flagship Lounge and no FC which is rather annoying, but my wife won't fly DL unless it's an absolute last resort, even if it means downgrading to a loungeless, EMS seat on B6!

Hasn't actually changed:

The NYC/Florida routes are hyper competitive. Other than MIA AA has cut most of its fNYC to Florida flying out and AFAIK never had NYC/RSW or NYC/JAC.

And instead enjoy the even worse cesspool that is Philly?

AA has definitely flown LGA-RSW/JAX. JAX I think post-merger. RSW has not been flown in a long time.

Are JFK slots use or lose? I'm surprised that AA would not have some service lined up to replace routes they cut. Presumably if they want high dollar corporate contracts in NY, they are going to have to figure out what will actually work for them.

Yes, that I agree with.

Under the FAA's slot allocation guidelines, a carrier must generally use a slot 80% of the available time or it can be reclaimed by the FAA. That said, carriers can lease their slots to other airlines so theoretically, AA could reduce its flights at JFK and lease the freed up slots to another airline (perhaps another OW member). It sure looks like AA is intent on paring back domestic service at JFK to just hub routes, west coast premium and a few key routes while relying on LGA for short/mid domestic hops and the bet is that this will be enough to keep corporate accounts happy.

From the FAA's order on JFK slots:

Keep in mind JFK only has slot controls in the evening to night time, so if AA completely shrinks their daytime operation to zero they won’t lose any slots.

For me, as an AA passenger, JFK is great! Flagship Check-In with TSA Pre means I'm in the Flagship Lounge in less than 5 mins from the curb 90% of the time. T8 is bright and airy and new and not too big (compare to say T4 and the epic walks to even get to the DL Skyclub, or the clusterfudge that is security there). That's before I factor unique things to me such as "my guy" in the Flagship Lounge who my wife and I have got to know well due to regular visits that delivers phenomenal service consistently, etc.

The only JFK gripes I have are that the evening rush hour can mean longer taxi times (that said on a 5.30pm departure last week we were in the air 10mins after pushback) and although T8 is compact a great percentage of my flights seem to go from the further gates in the satellite concourse!