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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-08-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000789460</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WORLD FUEL SERVICES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>INT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001236722</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAKSHI KEN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O WORLD FUEL SERVICES CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>9800 N.W. 41ST STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIAMI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33178</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>2021-08-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.27</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>40067</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-08-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4936</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.06</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>35131</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price represents the weighted average sale price for multiple transactions reported on this line. The prices of the transactions ranged from $32.27 to $32.28, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide the issuer and will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the specified range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The price represents the weighted average sale price for multiple transactions reported on this line. The prices of the transactions ranged from $31.95 to $32.18, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide the issuer and will provide any security holder of the issuer or the SEC staff, upon request, information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the specified range.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Amy Avalos Quintana, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-09-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
