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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-02-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227159</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDERSON KERRII B</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4140</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19140</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table I, Item 1:  Represents 2009 non-employee director compensation of shares of Common Stock with a fair market value of $80,000, paid in arrears (and prorated to the number of days during 2009 that Ms. Anderson served as a non-employee director) and valued (based on the closing price of the Common Stock) on the third business day following the date on which the Companys annual financial results are released.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Kerri B. Anderson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-03-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-02-26
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001227159
ANDERSON KERRII B
250 EAST FIFTH STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2010-02-26
4
A
0
4140
0
A
19140
D
Table I, Item 1:  Represents 2009 non-employee director compensation of shares of Common Stock with a fair market value of $80,000, paid in arrears (and prorated to the number of days during 2009 that Ms. Anderson served as a non-employee director) and valued (based on the closing price of the Common Stock) on the third business day following the date on which the Companys annual financial results are released.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Kerri B. Anderson
2010-03-01