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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 S8u0HDel+5+Et5SqQI4NHVgHpbu+GLB/qDgwr0rwjiveQAw1zpuq9743MkEXmwVY
 tlynILCPnDIQ9NfpSMkI7A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001232722-03-000002.txt : 20030613
<SEC-HEADER>0001232722-03-000002.hdr.sgml : 20030613
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030612184637
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001232722-03-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030611
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030613

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LINCOLN DAVID M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001232722

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-13468
		FILM NUMBER:		03742737

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1015 THIRD AVENUE 12TH FLOOR
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98104

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000746515
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ARRANGEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OF FREIGHT & CARGO [4731]
		IRS NUMBER:				911069248
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1015 THIRD AVENUE 12TH FLOOR
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98104
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2066743400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1015 THIRD AVENUE 12TH FLOOR
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98104
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001232722d20030612f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-11</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000746515</issuerCik><issuerName>EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>EXPD</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001232722</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>LINCOLN DAVID M</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior VP and CIO</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</val
ue></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>16000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>3.65</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>259679</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><
transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>16000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>33.8727</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>243679</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>3.65</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transacti
onFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>16000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-05-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-05-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>16000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature
><signatureName>David M Lincoln</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-12</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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