I'd like to book award tickets NA-EU using AA miles for the fall '22 & winter '23. After two really unpleasant transits through LHR this past spring, including missing a flight due to their TSA mishaps and holding me up on both legs, plus the BA surcharges, I'd like to avoid it completely like I have typically done in past years when I flew more.

My ideal route is JFK - Faro (PT), OW. I'm willing to be creative in the routing to use up my miles. Both Royal Air Maroc & Iberia are Oneworld partners and I'm okay transiting through Casablanca/Madrid/Malaga/Seville/etc or even just booking any of those as my final destination from NYC & staying a few days. But no matter what destination I choose on the AA award flight booking page for these off season trips all the results transit through LHR, a few LGW.

I'm trying to understand why NYC - MAD (etc) searches aren't giving me direct IB choices for example, same with the rest. What has changed & how do I avoid LHR?