Hello! I am just starting to get into the miles game and am having so much fun researching everything. One thing I'm having trouble finding a straightforward answer on:

With award travel, especially to exotic locations like the Galápagos Islands, does your award have to originate from a hub city?

For example, my home airport is Reno (rno). I have no problem finding award travel on us airways from Reno to London. However, when I try to find it to the Galapagos, nothing comes up. Is my problem the small originating airport? Or the fact that is airways doesn't fly to the Galapagos? I thought I had read us airways shows partner flights as well but nothing is showing up.

Which leads to my last question - if I find a mix of us air flights and partner flights, do I then call us airways to book? And I just read off my Reno to lax (for example) us air flight and then the lax to Galapagos partner flight?

Thanks in advance!! I know these are serious newbie questions but all the blog
Examples I see use NYC, lax, etc as originating airports. Would be helpful to know exactly how it's different when you know you'll have to have a domestic connection!