<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-02</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>2004-01-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>664</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6913</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9413</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note 1: Table 1, Item 4: Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors are paid each quarter in arrears.  Mr. Benjamin has elected to have both the cash portion of his director's quarterly compensation (which consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chairmanship fees) and the stock portion (which consists of a number of shares of Chiquita's Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250) deferred in common stock units pursuant to the Chiquita Directors Deferred Compensation Program, adopted in 2003.  The number of stock units credited to his account is based on the aggregate fair market value (the average of the high and low sales prices) of Chiquita Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Note 2: Table 1, Item 1:  Restricted Stock Award granted January 2, 2004, pursuant to the non-employee director restricted stock program under the Amended and Restated Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this Award will vest 100% on the day that Mr. Benjamin ceases to be a non-employee director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey D. Benjamin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2004-01-02
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
2004-01-02
4
A
0
664
0
A
6913
D
Common Stock
2004-01-02
4
A
0
2500
0
A
9413
D
Note 1: Table 1, Item 4: Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors are paid each quarter in arrears.  Mr. Benjamin has elected to have both the cash portion of his director's quarterly compensation (which consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chairmanship fees) and the stock portion (which consists of a number of shares of Chiquita's Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250) deferred in common stock units pursuant to the Chiquita Directors Deferred Compensation Program, adopted in 2003.  The number of stock units credited to his account is based on the aggregate fair market value (the average of the high and low sales prices) of Chiquita Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.
Note 2: Table 1, Item 1:  Restricted Stock Award granted January 2, 2004, pursuant to the non-employee director restricted stock program under the Amended and Restated Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this Award will vest 100% on the day that Mr. Benjamin ceases to be a non-employee director.
Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey D. Benjamin
2004-01-06