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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-06-02</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001674862</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ASHLAND GLOBAL HOLDINGS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ASH</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195811</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHAEFER GEORGE A JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>851 DELAWARE RIDGE LANE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CINCINNATI</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>45226</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>883</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4619</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-06-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness></transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>25990</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25990</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>55410</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents 883 shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the adjustment described in this footnote. Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (&quot;Ashland&quot;) distributed to its stockholders on May 12, 2017 (the &quot;Distribution Date&quot;) 170,000,000 shares of Valvoline Inc. common stock as a pro rata dividend (the &quot;Distribution&quot;). Pursuant to the terms of the applicable equity compensation plan, the Reporting Person was entitled to receive the number of shares of restricted stock equal to the quotient of (x) the closing price of Ashland common stock on the Distribution Date and (y) the simple arithmetic average of the volume-weighted average price of Ashland common stock for each of the ten consecutive trading days immediately following the Distribution Date (such quotient, the &quot;Equity Award Adjustment Ratio&quot;) for each such share of restricted stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Balance includes 1,883 shares of unvested Restricted Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Each Restricted Stock Unit represents a right to receive one (1) share of Ashland Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Restricted Stock Units are payable upon the same terms and conditions as were applicable to the Reporting Person's awards of Restricted Stock Units immediately prior to the Distribution.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Pursuant to the terms of Ashland's Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, the Reporting Person was entitled to receive the number of Restricted Stock Units equal to the Equity Award Adjustment Ratio for each such Restricted Stock Unit. Restricted Stock Units were acquired pursuant to Ashland's Deferred Compensation Plan for Non--Employee Directors. One (1) Restricted Stock Unit is the equivalent of one (1) share of common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Balance includes 93 additional Restricted Stock Units acquired in lieu of cash dividends paid on March 15, 2017, pursuant to Ashland's Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, exempt under Rule 16b-3 and converted as described above in footnote 5.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jennifer I. Henkel, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-06-06</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
