<?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>0001192120</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HILLS RODERICK M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>901 FIFTEENTH ST., N.W.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20005</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>391</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>21877</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>24377</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1050</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by I.R.A.</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3685</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by family partnership</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </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. Hills, each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $5,000 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 the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.</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. Hills ceases to be a non-employee director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Roderick M. Hills</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-01-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0202
4
2006-12-29
0
0000101063
CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC
cqb
0001192120
HILLS RODERICK M
901 FIFTEENTH ST., N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2006-12-29
4
A
0
391
0
A
21877
D
Common Stock
2007-01-02
4
A
0
2500
0
A
24377
D
Common Stock
1050
I
by I.R.A.
Common Stock
3685
I
by family partnership
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. Hills, each quarterly payment consists of $6,250 in quarterly fees and $5,000 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 the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on the last trading day of the calendar quarter.
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. Hills ceases to be a non-employee director.
James E. Thompson as Attorney-in-Fact for Roderick M. Hills
2007-01-03