OK - I've successfully (for the 3rd time, so less surprising this time) - called Cathay from USA to finish booking my award travel - spare ya the details, but JFK to Europe - with a European layover. (Finnair)

Now I have to get to JFK from my hometown.

a) There were no (award) flights available (on any partner) to "get there from here" so that was never an option;
b) Finnair does not fly from my hometown to, well, anywhere.
c) My plan at the moment is - just get up real early fly to JFK on a cash ticket, fetch and re-check baggage for the evening flight, lots of contingency flights available (and barring that - I could drive it - horrible choice - but I would do it)

Here are my questions:

Cathay only allows one stop on a one-way ticket - is there a way to wrangle a second stop, start this process over, and just book it (Hometown - JFK - Europe1 - Europe2)?
It is a round trip after all - can I do the "round the world" thing here? Would I come out ahead?

Barring that - although AA recently (a few years ago) updated the policy - it does not SEEM as if I could get them to check my bags through - somehow - being two totally separate record locators - is that true?

Any other loophole / better plan / crazy scheme I should have used? Sounds nutty, but I'm happy with the result - I'm just trying to improve. Not always possible to get front of plane awards for two people on short-ish notice - but it all worked out, just hoping
Cathay can breathe air long enough to get to the departure day!

Hope that makes sense - apologies if confusing...Thanks again - all of you have always been full of excellent and professional information.