<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-08</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001190901</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FREIDHEIM CYRUS F JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>250 EAST FIFTH ST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CINCINNATI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>45202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, President &amp; CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>125000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3718</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.69</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>121282</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Note 1: Table 1, Item 4: Restricted Stock Award granted January 8, 2004, pursuant to the Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this Award will vest in two equal installments of 15,000 shares each on January 8, 2005 and January 8, 2006 (the &quot;Vesting Dates&quot;) as long as Mr. Freidheim is serving as a director of the Company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Note 2: Table I, Item 4.  Pursuant to the terms of a Restricted Stock Award dated April 9, 2002, Mr. Freidheim was granted the right to receive 25,000 shares of Common Stock, par value, $.01 per share, with 50% of the shares deliverable on January 1 in each of the years 2003 and 2004, as long as Mr. Freidheim served as a director or was employed by the Company or by any of the Company's subsidiaries on the applicable Vesting Date.  With respect to the 12,500 shares which vested and became deliverable on January 1, 2004, on January 8, 2004 the Compensation Committee approved the withholding of shares from Mr. Freidheim's award to pay required withholding taxes due upon the issuance of the shares.  Based on the stock price on January 2, 2004, 3,718 shares were withheld.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Cyrus F. Freidheim, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>
[{"type": "4", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "description": "PRIMARY DOCUMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5879}]
X0201
4
2004-01-08
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001190901
FREIDHEIM CYRUS F JR
250 EAST FIFTH ST
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
1
1
0
0
Chairman, President & CEO
Common Stock
2004-01-08
4
A
0
30000
0
A
125000
D
Common Stock
2004-01-08
4
F
0
3718
22.69
D
121282
D
Note 1: Table 1, Item 4: Restricted Stock Award granted January 8, 2004, pursuant to the Chiquita 2002 Stock Option and Incentive Plan.  The shares granted under this Award will vest in two equal installments of 15,000 shares each on January 8, 2005 and January 8, 2006 (the "Vesting Dates") as long as Mr. Freidheim is serving as a director of the Company.
Note 2: Table I, Item 4.  Pursuant to the terms of a Restricted Stock Award dated April 9, 2002, Mr. Freidheim was granted the right to receive 25,000 shares of Common Stock, par value, $.01 per share, with 50% of the shares deliverable on January 1 in each of the years 2003 and 2004, as long as Mr. Freidheim served as a director or was employed by the Company or by any of the Company's subsidiaries on the applicable Vesting Date.  With respect to the 12,500 shares which vested and became deliverable on January 1, 2004, on January 8, 2004 the Compensation Committee approved the withholding of shares from Mr. Freidheim's award to pay required withholding taxes due upon the issuance of the shares.  Based on the stock price on January 2, 2004, 3,718 shares were withheld.
Robert W. Olson as Attorney-in-Fact for Cyrus F. Freidheim, Jr.
2004-01-12