During the 10-day sale, American Airlines sold out almost its entire allotment of discounted seats.

If more seats can be sold at higher fares, the number of discounted seats will be cut back.

After all, you will be paying for the children sitting in the discounted seats.

Europeans can pick up discounted seats from about €550.

On any given day, "it's likely that the inventory of discounted seats will be sold out," he said.

Because Priceline makes the consumer go through various hurdles to get a discounted seat, it has reduced that risk for the carriers.

It said its strategy would be to reduce the number of discounted seats and offer added services to holders of premium seats.

At least one online travel site, Travelocity, has been able to avoid hiding flight times and airline names, yet still offer discounted seats.

And with oil prices rising in the last couple of weeks, airlines are expected to limit their discounted seats while their profits are under pressure.

There, he helped save sickly shows by selling row upon row of discounted seats, becoming a multimillionaire in the process.