Ok, I've read the blog posts and what not, I've gotten in to the ANA tool, I get how to use that. I'm using the United rewards search as well.

Here's my problems and if there's 1 massive great FAQ/Tutorial, please feel free to link it, because I haven't found it yet.

I read all these trip reports of great lengthy business/first flights etc. I have no problem finding economy availability even just through the Aeroplan (that's where I'm crediting to) tool. Sometimes the routes are a total joke though and add on the YQ and it becomes a no-go. I understand that you can call Aeroplan, request certain flights etc (though I'm still not 100% sure how they decide how many points things are since the chart will say 25,000 to anywhere in continental USA, but I rarely find that).

I guess the crux (sp?) of the problem is, using the ANA tool I find VERY little availability of business/first and even sometimes with economy. Not only that, but my usual destination of choice MDE (or even BOG) always return no results from YVR, where I'm based.

I can break it down flight by flight and find them that way, but it SHOULD be able to find routing from tip to tail and doesn't. Does anyone have this issue?

Also, an easier question to answer is...if I find reward availability on the ANA tool, or the easier United tool, would that mean that for sure I could call Aeroplan and they'd find the same thing? (I'm a bit fuzzy on the different types of awards with UA so that's why I wonder) Or is there going to be more award space available to members of it's own program?

You might prefer that the systems can find the awards without you breaking it up but there is nothing which says they must do so. And, as you've discovered, depending on the system they do not always.

Generally speaking if you can find award space via one partner then the other partners should have it as well. For travel on "home" metal a program may have increased availability.

Use award nexus and have it look for you(daily)? flyertalk members get some free searches

once you have found the availability just call Aeroplan and read off the routes one by one. Don't use award nexus it is a waste of money