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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-03-30</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>666 THIRD STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10017</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>2007-03-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>847</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>30630.2026</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table I, Item 4:  Represents fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors which are paid each quarter in arrears, consisting of $20,000 in quarterly fees and $3,750 in committee chair fees, both payable in cash. For 2007, Mr. Arntzen elected to have 50% of the cash portion of his fees deferred in cash and 50% deferred into common stock units under the Directors Deferred Compensation Program. Each common stock unit represents one share of Common Stock and all stock units must be settled in Common Stock. The fair market value of a share of Common Stock is the closing price of a share as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2007-03-30
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001192851
ARNTZEN MORTEN
666 THIRD STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10017
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2007-03-30
4
A
0
847
0
A
30630.2026
D
Table I, Item 4:  Represents fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors which are paid each quarter in arrears, consisting of $20,000 in quarterly fees and $3,750 in committee chair fees, both payable in cash. For 2007, Mr. Arntzen elected to have 50% of the cash portion of his fees deferred in cash and 50% deferred into common stock units under the Directors Deferred Compensation Program. Each common stock unit represents one share of Common Stock and all stock units must be settled in Common Stock. The fair market value of a share of Common Stock is the closing price of a share as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen
2007-04-02