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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-08-11</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001488454</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Burness Michael J</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP Global Quality&amp;Food Safety</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>750</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.39</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24375</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-08-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>254</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.71</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>24121</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>343</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by 401(k)</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>665</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by ESPP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Table I, Item l.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on August 11, 2010, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting of 2,544 shares pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award granted August 11, 2009 under the Companys Stock and Incentive Plan. The full award was previously reported.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Table I, Item l.  Shares sold pursuant to a previously adopted and disclosed Rule 10b5-1 trading plan in an amount (10%) corresponding to estimated taxes due in excess of amounts withheld upon the vesting of the August 11, 2009 Award referenced above.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $13.63 to $13.76.  The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price within the range set forth above.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Table 1, Item 5: Represents the number of whole units held in the Chiquita Stock Fund of the Companys Savings and Investment Plan, a 401(k) Plan, based on a plan statement dated as of June 30, 2010.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Table 1, Item 1: Represents the number of whole shares held in the Chiquita Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a plan qualified by Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code, based on the most recent plan statement dated at June 30, 2010.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Michael J. Burness</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-08-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0303
4
2010-08-11
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001488454
Burness Michael J
250 EAST FIFTH STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
0
1
0
0
VP Global Quality&Food Safety
Common Stock
2010-08-11
4
F
0
750
13.39
D
24375
D
Common Stock
2010-08-11
4
S
0
254
13.71
D
24121
D
Common Stock
343
I
by 401(k)
Common Stock
665
I
by ESPP
Table I, Item l.  Shares withheld, based on the fair market value of the Common Stock on August 11, 2010, to pay required withholding taxes upon the vesting of 2,544 shares pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award granted August 11, 2009 under the Companys Stock and Incentive Plan. The full award was previously reported.
Table I, Item l.  Shares sold pursuant to a previously adopted and disclosed Rule 10b5-1 trading plan in an amount (10%) corresponding to estimated taxes due in excess of amounts withheld upon the vesting of the August 11, 2009 Award referenced above.
The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price.  These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $13.63 to $13.76.  The reporting person hereby undertakes to provide upon request to the SEC staff, the issuer or a security holder of the issuer, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price within the range set forth above.
Table 1, Item 5: Represents the number of whole units held in the Chiquita Stock Fund of the Companys Savings and Investment Plan, a 401(k) Plan, based on a plan statement dated as of June 30, 2010.
Table 1, Item 1: Represents the number of whole shares held in the Chiquita Employee Stock Purchase Plan, a plan qualified by Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code, based on the most recent plan statement dated at June 30, 2010.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Michael J. Burness
2010-08-12