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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-01-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001301117</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Rodriguez Manuel</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP Govt &amp; int'l Affairs &amp; CRO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-01-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6963</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34853</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>178</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By 401(k)</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note 1:  Table I, Item 1.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on December 29, 2006, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting on January 1, 2007 of a Restricted Stock Award granted February 27, 2006 under the Company's Long-Term Incentive Program.  The full Award was previously reported.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Note 2:  Table I, Item 5. This amount reflects the correction of a typographical error in the Form 4 filed 10/31/2006 which should have stated 41,816 shares beneficially owned instead of 41,233 following the reported transaction of 761 shares withheld to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting on October 27, 2006 of a Restricted Stock Award granted October 27, 2005 under the Company's Stock and Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Note 3:  Table I, Item 5.  Represents the number of whole units held in the Chiquita Common Stock Fund of the Company's Savings and Investment Plan, a 401(k) plan, based on a Plan statement dated as of September 30, 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Manuel Rodriguez</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-01-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2007-01-01
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001301117
Rodriguez Manuel
250 EAST FIFTH ST
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
0
1
0
0
SVP Govt & int'l Affairs & CRO
Common Stock
2007-01-01
4
F
0
6963
0
D
34853
D
Common Stock
178
I
By 401(k)
Note 1:  Table I, Item 1.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on December 29, 2006, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting on January 1, 2007 of a Restricted Stock Award granted February 27, 2006 under the Company's Long-Term Incentive Program.  The full Award was previously reported.
Note 2:  Table I, Item 5. This amount reflects the correction of a typographical error in the Form 4 filed 10/31/2006 which should have stated 41,816 shares beneficially owned instead of 41,233 following the reported transaction of 761 shares withheld to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting on October 27, 2006 of a Restricted Stock Award granted October 27, 2005 under the Company's Stock and Incentive Plan.
Note 3:  Table I, Item 5.  Represents the number of whole units held in the Chiquita Common Stock Fund of the Company's Savings and Investment Plan, a 401(k) plan, based on a Plan statement dated as of September 30, 2006.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Manuel Rodriguez
2007-01-04