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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-12-29</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>2006-12-29</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>665</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27283.2026</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-01-02</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>29783.2026</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, half in cash and half in Common Stock.  For Mr. Arntzen, each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chair fees both payable in cash, and a number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250. 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. For 2006, Mr. Arntzen elected to have 50% of the cash portion of his fees and all of the stock portion deferred into common stock units under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan. Each common stock unit represents one share of Common Stock and all stock units must be settled in Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Note 2: Table 1, Item 4:  Annual Restricted Stock Award granted January 2, 2007 pursuant to the non-employee director restricted stock program under the Chiquita Stock and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this award will vest 100% on the day that Mr. Arntzen ceases to be a non-employee director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-01-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2006-12-29
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001192851
ARNTZEN MORTEN
666 THIRD STREET
NEW YORK
NY
10017
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2006-12-29
4
A
0
665
0
A
27283.2026
D
Common Stock
2007-01-02
4
A
0
2500
0
A
29783.2026
D
Table I, Item 4:  Represents fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors which are paid each quarter in arrears, half in cash and half in Common Stock.  For Mr. Arntzen, each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $2,500 in committee chair fees both payable in cash, and a number of shares of Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250. 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. For 2006, Mr. Arntzen elected to have 50% of the cash portion of his fees and all of the stock portion deferred into common stock units under the Directors Deferred Compensation Plan. Each common stock unit represents one share of Common Stock and all stock units must be settled in Common Stock.
Note 2: Table 1, Item 4:  Annual Restricted Stock Award granted January 2, 2007 pursuant to the non-employee director restricted stock program under the Chiquita Stock and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this award will vest 100% on the day that Mr. Arntzen ceases to be a non-employee director.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Morten Arntzen
2007-01-03