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

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-08-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000902272</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ALDILA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ALDA</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001208980</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROSSI MICHAEL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>14145 DANIELSON ST.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>STE. B</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>POWAY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>92064</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>VP - Aldila Golf Corp.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>775</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-08-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>146</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>3.46</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2777</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">2,112 shares of restricted stock granted 8/27/2007 subject to a vesting schedule of three annual installments, vesting 8/27/2008, 8/27/2009, and 8/27/2010. 1,337 shares are vested and 775 shares remain unvested as of this filing.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1,500 shares of restricted stock granted 8/25/2008, subject to a vesting schedule of three equal annual installments, vesting 8/25/2009, 8/25/2010, and 8/25/2011. 500 shares are vested and 1,000 shares are unvested as of this filing.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">4,000 shares of restricted stock granted 8/25/2009 subject to a vesting schedule of three equal annual installments vesting 8/25/2010, 8/25/2011, and 8/25/2012.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The sale reported on this Form 4 was executed to satisfy tax obligations in connection with the vesting of certain restricted stock. Prior to the sale of 146 shares of unrestricted stock reported on this form, the unrestricted stock owned by the filer was 2,923 as a result of the vesting of previously unvested restricted stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Michael J. Rossi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-08-28</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
