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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-05-16</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001621227</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Adaptimmune Therapeutics PLC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ADAP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001661908</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Sigal Charles Elliott</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>32 BREARLY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRINCETON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08540</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares with a nominal value of GBP0.001 per share</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-16</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.50</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>269100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares held by Sigal Family Investments, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares with a nominal value of GBP0.001 per share</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.53</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>284100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares held by Sigal Family Investments, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares with a nominal value of GBP0.001 per share</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-05-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>15000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.55</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>299100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares held by Sigal Family Investments, LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Ordinary Shares with a nominal value of GBP0.001 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>52938</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Dr. Sigal is a manager of Sigal Family Investments, LLC. Dr. Sigal may be deemed to have voting and investment power over the shares held by Sigal Family Investments, LLC. Dr. Sigal disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares except to the extent of any pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The 15,000 Ordinary Shares are represented by 2,500 American Depositary Shares (&quot;ADSs&quot;) which are held by Sigal Family Investments, LLC. Each ADS represents six Ordinary Shares of Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The price of $1.50 per Ordinary Share was derived from the purchase price paid on May 16, 2016, of $8.98 per ADS, divided by six.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The 269,100 Ordinary Shares comprise (i) 254,100 Ordinary Shares, and (ii) 15,000 Ordinary Shares represented by 2,500 ADSs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The price of $1.53 per Ordinary Share was derived from the purchase price paid on May 17, 2016, of $9.18 per ADS, divided by six.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">The 284,100 Ordinary Shares comprise (i) 254,100 Ordinary Shares, and (ii) 30,000 Ordinary Shares represented by 5,000 ADSs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">The price of $1.55 per Ordinary Share was derived from the purchase price paid on May 18, 2016, of $9.30 per ADS, divided by six.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">The 299,100 Ordinary Shares comprise (i) 254,100 Ordinary Shares, and (ii) 45,000 Ordinary Shares represented by 7,500 ADSs.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">The 52,938 Ordinary Shares are represented by 8,823 ADSs.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Charles Elliott Sigal</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-05-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
