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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-03-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001070423</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PLAINS ALL AMERICAN PIPELINE LP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PAA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001638385</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAFU Holdings (QP), L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1800 AVENUE OF THE STARS, SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90067</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>See Remaks</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>39224</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>39224</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>39224</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Shares/Class A Units/GP Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-03-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>39224</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Units</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>39224</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>18319052</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Eight Amended and Restated limited partnership agreement of Plains AAP, L.P. (&quot;AAP&quot;) provides that each limited partner holding Class A Units will have the right, subject to certain limitations, to redeem its Class A Units for common units (&quot;Common Units&quot;) of Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (the &quot;Issuer&quot;) held by AAP on a one-for-one basis, by delivering Class A Units to AAP with the associated Class B Shares in Plains GP Holdings, L.P. (&quot;PAGP&quot;) and GP Units in PAA GP Holdings LLC (if applicable), to PAGP (the &quot;Redemption Right&quot;).  The Redemption Right does not expire. On March 28, 2018, KAFU Holdings (QP), L.P. exercised the Redemption Right with respect to an aggregate 39,224 Class A Units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">KAFU Holdings (QP), L.P. (&quot;KAFU&quot;) owns an equivalent number of Class A Units, Class B Shares and GP Units. KACALP is the manager of the general partner of KAFU and may be deemed to beneficially own the Class A Units, Class B Shares and GP Units held by KAFU.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The reported transactions involve an in-kind distribution to redeeming limited partners of KAFU Holdings (QP), L.P.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">In a simultaneous transaction, KAFU exercised the exchange right provided for in the limited partnership agreement of AAP pursuant to which 7,899 Class A Units, Class B Shares and GP Units were exchanged for a like number of PAGP Class A Shares.  The number of derivative securities owned reflects both the redemption transaction reported herein and the simultaneous exchange transaction.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Bob Sinnott is a director of the managing general partner of the Issuer. Based on the relationship of Mr. Sinnott and the Reporting Persons, the Reporting Persons may be deemed directors by deputization of the Issuer. KAFU Holdings (QP), L.P., is referred to herein as the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;. The filing of this Statement shall not be construed as an admission that any Reporting Person is, for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, as amended, the beneficial owner of any security.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David Shladovsky</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-03-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
