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

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    <periodOfReport>2004-04-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192851</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARNTZEN MORTEN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 PARK AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10166</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>2004-04-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>301</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>16714</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table I, Item 4:  Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors are paid each quarter in arrears.  Mr. Arntzen has elected to have the cash portion of his director's quarterly compensation (which consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chair fees) deferred in cash 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.  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's Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2004-04-01
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001192851
ARNTZEN MORTEN
200 PARK AVENUE
NEW YORK
NY
10166
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2004-04-01
4
A
0
301
0
A
16714
D
Table I, Item 4:  Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors are paid each quarter in arrears.  Mr. Arntzen has elected to have the cash portion of his director's quarterly compensation (which consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chair fees) deferred in cash 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.  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's Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.
Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen
2004-04-02