I’ve looked on BA.com for AA domestic reward flights from NYC-LAS and it keeps telling me there’s no seats available for the dates I want, even with connections. But when I put in a separate EWR-PHX, PHX-LAS or LGA-DFW, DFW-LAS it gives me reward seats.

If I book these as separate bookings, I assume AA won’t thru check the bags and if there’s a delay on the first one I won’t be protected on the connection? Can the BA call centre book them as one itinerary?