Booking a flight six or more months in advance may get you the fare or the award availability you are looking for, but schedules, unlike fares, change and sometimes big time. I once had a UA flight IST-EWR-BNA and my easy connection at EWR turned into an overnight due to a schedule change. Turns out just after landing in EWR a major storm system shut everything down- and luckily I already had my hotel reservation. Many slept overnight in the terminal.

Award tickets are sometimes in a league of their own. I've seen AA propose two overnights for a J class award ticket at a low mileage level. Tempting, but not practical. But the fact is from their perspective, it was fair.

Like others here, I suggest you keep trying.