Analysts had expected a bigger profit, and Delta shares fell 58 cents, or 4.6 percent, to $12.17 in morning trading. Shares of other airlines were lower as well.

Delta earned 2 cents per share for the fourth quarter. Not counting special items it would have earned 19 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 27 cents per share. A year earlier it lost $25 million, or 3 cents per share. Delta said many analysts didn't include the impact of the late-December storms.

Earlier this month, Delta said the snow storms would cut its fourth-quarter profit by $45 million after it canceled some 4,000 flights.

Revenue rose 14 percent to $7.79 billion, more than analysts expected.

During 2010, airlines including Delta, benefited as passengers -- especially business travelers -- returned to flying as the economy improved. Delta's revenue for each passenger flown one mile rose 8 percent during the fourth quarter. Delta's operating costs for each seat flown one mile rose by 2 percent. They would have fallen 2 percent if not for fuel and special items. Its fuel bill alone rose 13 percent to $1.93 billion for the quarter.