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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-04-10</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001250770</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Thompson James E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>250 EAST FIFTH STREET</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, General Counsel &amp; Sec</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-04-10</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2162</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>21.03</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>44253</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note 1: Table I, Item l.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on April 10, 2008, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting of 6,732 shares covered by a Restricted Stock Award granted April 10, 2006 under the Company's Stock and Incentive Plan. The full award was previously reported.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-04-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3455}]
X0202
4
2008-04-10
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001250770
Thompson James E
250 EAST FIFTH STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
0
1
0
0
SVP, General Counsel & Sec
Common Stock
2008-04-10
4
F
0
2162
21.03
D
44253
D
Note 1: Table I, Item l.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on April 10, 2008, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting of 6,732 shares covered by a Restricted Stock Award granted April 10, 2006 under the Company's Stock and Incentive Plan. The full award was previously reported.
James E. Thompson
2008-04-14