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

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-02-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190901</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FREIDHEIM CYRUS F JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>250 EAST FIFTH ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CINCINNATI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>45202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-02-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>43359</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>164641</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note 1: Table I, Item 4:  Restricted Stock Award (&quot;Award&quot;) granted February 20, 2004 under the Company's Long-Term Incentive Program (the &quot;LTIP&quot;) which is part of the Amended and Restated Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the &quot;Plan&quot;), subject to the recipient entering into a satisfactory Restricted Stock Agreement. The shares granted under this award will vest on January 1, 2005.  Vesting of the Award may be accelerated under certain circumstances, including, among others, a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan), termination of service as a director due to death, Disability or if the Board requests Mr. Freidheim to step down as a director other than for cause.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Note 2: Table I, Item 6:  149,641 direct ownership; 15,000 indirect ownership by an IRA.  This also amends the Form 4 filed on April 8, 2003 to correct the form of ownership of the Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Freidheim, which should have been reported as 80,000 direct ownership and 15,000 indirect ownership by an IRA.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Cyrus F. Freidheim, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-02-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2004-02-20
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001190901
FREIDHEIM CYRUS F JR
250 EAST FIFTH ST
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
1
1
0
0
Chairman of the Board
Common Stock
2004-02-20
4
A
0
43359
0
A
164641
D
Note 1: Table I, Item 4:  Restricted Stock Award ("Award") granted February 20, 2004 under the Company's Long-Term Incentive Program (the "LTIP") which is part of the Amended and Restated Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), subject to the recipient entering into a satisfactory Restricted Stock Agreement. The shares granted under this award will vest on January 1, 2005.  Vesting of the Award may be accelerated under certain circumstances, including, among others, a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan), termination of service as a director due to death, Disability or if the Board requests Mr. Freidheim to step down as a director other than for cause.
Note 2: Table I, Item 6:  149,641 direct ownership; 15,000 indirect ownership by an IRA.  This also amends the Form 4 filed on April 8, 2003 to correct the form of ownership of the Common Stock beneficially owned by Mr. Freidheim, which should have been reported as 80,000 direct ownership and 15,000 indirect ownership by an IRA.
Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Cyrus F. Freidheim, Jr.
2004-02-24