<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001100395</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICA ONLINE LATIN AMERICA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AOLA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001105705</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TIME WARNER INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
<reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>75 Rockefeller Plaza</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2/><rptOwnerCity>New York</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>10019</rptOwnerZipCode></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000883780</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>AMERICA ONLINE INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>22000 AOL WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DULLES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>VA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20166</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Series B Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>3024732</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>4497777.78</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock, par value $.01</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3024732</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>35403883</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Series B Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F1"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock, par value $.01</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>79840676</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Subsidiary</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The holder of the Series B Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (&quot;Series B Stock&quot;) has the right, at any time, to convert its shares into shares of Class B Common Stock on a 1 for 1 basis and the right to convert its shares of Class B Common Stock into shares of Class A Common Stock at any time on a 1 for 1 basis.</footnote><footnote id="F2">The shares of Series B Stock were received by the Reporting Person in lieu of cash in payment of interest due and payable to the Reporting Person as of December 31, 2003 pursuant to the terms of the 11% Senior Convertible Notes due 2007 issued by America Online Latin America, Inc. in favor of the Reporting Person.</footnote><footnote id="F3">See Exhibit 99 - Joint Filer Information</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>By:  Brenda C. Karickhoff, Vice President of Time Warner Inc.</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

