<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-01</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001198717</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SERRA PUCHE JAIME</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-01</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>428</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>A</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>817</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <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, half in cash and half in Common Stock.  Each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in cash and a number of shares of Chiquita's Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250.  The fair market value is based on the average of the high and low sales prices of Chiquita's Common Stock on the last trading day of the quarter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-In-Fact for Jaime Serra Puche</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
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4
2003-07-01
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001198717
SERRA PUCHE JAIME
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2003-07-01
4
A
0
428
0
A
817
D
Table I, Item 4:  Fees for service as a member of the Board of Directors are paid each quarter in arrears, half in cash and half in Common Stock.  Each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in cash and a number of shares of Chiquita's Common Stock having an aggregate fair market value of $6,250.  The fair market value is based on the average of the high and low sales prices of Chiquita's Common Stock on the last trading day of the quarter.
Robert W. Olson as Attorney-In-Fact for Jaime Serra Puche
2003-07-02