<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-10-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000101063</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>cqb</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001194016</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BENJAMIN JEFFREY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1301 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>38TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>64.6925</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13907.6925</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table 1: Item 4.  Represents dividends paid in stock units to Mr.Benjamin's Directors Deferred Compensation Plan (&quot;DDCP&quot;) account on October 17, 2005.  Also includes stock units earned in Mr.Benjamin's DDCP account as a result of dividends paid on January 17, April 15 and July 15.  Due to an administrative error, the recordkeeper of the DDCP failed to timely credit the units to his account for the January, April and July dividend payment dates.

The number of stock units credited to the participant's account for a dividend payment is calculated by multiplying the number of whole units in the participant's account on the record date for the dividend by the dividend per share ($.10) and dividing that amount by the fair market value of one share of common stock on the dividend payment date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W.Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey D. Benjamin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-10-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2005-10-17
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001194016
BENJAMIN JEFFREY D
1301 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
38TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2005-10-17
4
J
0
64.6925
0
A
13907.6925
D
Table 1: Item 4.  Represents dividends paid in stock units to Mr.Benjamin's Directors Deferred Compensation Plan ("DDCP") account on October 17, 2005.  Also includes stock units earned in Mr.Benjamin's DDCP account as a result of dividends paid on January 17, April 15 and July 15.  Due to an administrative error, the recordkeeper of the DDCP failed to timely credit the units to his account for the January, April and July dividend payment dates.

The number of stock units credited to the participant's account for a dividend payment is calculated by multiplying the number of whole units in the participant's account on the record date for the dividend by the dividend per share ($.10) and dividing that amount by the fair market value of one share of common stock on the dividend payment date.
Robert W.Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey D. Benjamin
2005-10-19