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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-01-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227159</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANDERSON KERRII B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>550 SOUTH CALDWELL STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CHARLOTTE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>28202</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>2015-01-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>U</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>66255</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>14.5</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares disposed in a cash tender offer pursunat to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 26, 2014, among Cavendish Global Limited, Cavendish Acquisition Corporation, the Issuer, Bulingtown UK Ltd. and Erichton Investments Ltd. At the effective time of the merger, all shares converted into the right to receive, in cash and without interest, $14.50 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Kerrii B. Anderson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-01-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2015-01-06
1
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
CQB
0001227159
ANDERSON KERRII B
550 SOUTH CALDWELL STREET
CHARLOTTE
NC
28202
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2015-01-06
4
U
0
66255
14.5
D
0
D
Shares disposed in a cash tender offer pursunat to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 26, 2014, among Cavendish Global Limited, Cavendish Acquisition Corporation, the Issuer, Bulingtown UK Ltd. and Erichton Investments Ltd. At the effective time of the merger, all shares converted into the right to receive, in cash and without interest, $14.50 per share.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Kerrii B. Anderson
2015-01-07