Baggage transfer question
 

I have booked a flight on AA from Raleigh to Helsinki. I have an AA flight from RDU to JFK, a 2 hr 8 min layover, then I fly Finnair to Helsinki. My question is, if my checked luggage will automatically be transferred at JFK, or will I have to gather it and recheck it?
I have another question. When I booked the flight it would not let me pick my seats on Finnair. It said to call Finnair, but I have heard it is very hard to get them on the phone. Is there another way to pick my seat without calling?
Thanks!

Is it one ticket or two? If one, most likely yes. If two separate tickets, no.

I had flown AA+CX on the same ticket with overnight transit in Toronto. No problem with the luggage

Your bags will be checked all the way to HEL assuming this was purchased as a single ticket, as mentioned above. For seats on Finnair, have you tried going to the Finnair website and inputting your AY PNR?

And, if your return flight is the same route, you will pick up your bags after Immigration (at your first US stop), then exit Customs and drop them off with an agent just outside of Customs.

I have heard Finnair's website has been altered and it's often not possible to select seats. The current advice is to go to Royal Jordanian's or Malaysian's websites. You will need the Finnair booking reference, not the AA PNR. It should be shown in the detail of your booking on aa.com.

...or enter the AA PNR on the Qantas "Manage My Booking" to display the PNR that AY uses.

It is on one ticket. Thanks everyone for the help.