I have not been following STT flights in particular, but for St Maarten, pre-Irma, there were always nonstops from Philly and Charlotte to SXM. Now, it seems that they are messing around with schedules, and many people have reported having a nonstop from either Philly or Charlotte, and then their flight being changed to a connecting flight through Miami. As the other poster said, AA or not, ALWAYS check and double-check your reservations, often, to make sure there have been no changes, especially in the post-Irma world. And, while it's probably not of much assistance these days, remember that if the airline significantly changes your air (and adding another stop would definitely count!), you are entitled to CANCEL your ticket and get ALL your money back. Now that only helps you if you can find some other tickets that you can live with, for a price you can live with.