Originally Posted by nov11

If your DCA-JFK-HKG-KUL is on one ticket, I don't know if AA will short-check it to JFK unless your layover in JFK exceeds 8 or 10 hours.

And if it's on one ticket, sometimes AA can't check it to KUL if you have a long layover in HKG.

Having that said, if you are only checked to KUL, you can always go to the CX desk in JFK or HKG (I'd try both desks) and ask them to tag it to your final destination. More often than not, CX can re-tag the bag