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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-06-04</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000054507</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WESTAR ENERGY INC /KS</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001184813</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SOMMA ANTHONY D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>818 S. KANSAS AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>TOPEKA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>66612</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, CFO &amp; Treasurer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, Par Value $5.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16566</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>67410</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, Par Value $5.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>30683</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>98093</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, Par Value $5.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>24082</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>55.8925</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>74011</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, Par Value $5.00</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-06-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>74011</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>55.08</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </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">Grant of 16,566 restricted share units on 6/4/18 that will vest ratably in one third increments on the anniversary of the grant date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Vesting of 30,683 performance-based restricted share units that were granted on 2/24/16, 2/26/17 and 2/21/18. Under the terms of the grants of performance-based restricted share units, the number of shares to be received at vesting is increased or decreased based on the Issuer's Total Shareholder Return as compared to the Total Shareholder Return for a defined Peer Group of companies for the defined Performance Period. Under the terms of a merger agreement between Westar Energy, Inc. and Great Plains Energy Incorporated, performance-based restricted share units vest on the merger closing date at the greater of the target award or the actual number based on the performance criteria. The determination that the performance criteria relating to the grant had been met and the calculation of the number of shares to be distributed were completed on 6/4/18.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Forfeiture of 24,082 shares for the payment of taxes upon the vesting and distribution of 54,298 time-based and performance-based restricted share units granted on 2/24/16, 2/26/17 and 2/21/18.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Shares of Westar Energy, Inc. stock and the restricted share units granted on 6/4/18 were exchanged for shares of Evergy, Inc. stock and Evergy, Inc. restricted share units pursuant to a merger agreement between Westar Energy, Inc. and Great Plains Energy Incorporated on a 1 to 1 basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Solely for purposes of this filing, the estimated market value per share of Evergy, Inc. common stock on 6/4/18 was $55.08 per share (the closing stock price of the common stock of Westar Energy, Inc. as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on 6/1/18).</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Cynthia S. Couch by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-06-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
