<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-22</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000861361</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BE AEROSPACE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BEAV</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000902607</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KHOURY AMIN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-10-10</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>24.9375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-01-27</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>100000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>29.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>90000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-08-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>90000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>21.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.8125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>70000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-09-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>70000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>17.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>140000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F6"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-05-27</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>140000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>65000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F8"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F7"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-08-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>65000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This option is immediately exercisable.</footnote><footnote id="F2">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 16,667 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F3">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 33,333 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F4">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 30,000 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F5">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 23,333 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F6">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 46,667 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote><footnote id="F7">This option is exercisable in annual increments of 16,250 shares each, commencing August 16, 2000 and on each anniversary thereof.</footnote><footnote id="F8">On July 22, 2003 the issuer cancelled, pursuant to the issuer's option exchange program, options granted to the reporting person.  In exchange, the reporting person will receive a replacement option to purchase 21,667 shares on or about January 26, 2004, with an exercise price equal to the market price of our common stock on the date of grant.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Ellen Caplan, Attorney-in-Fact for Amin J. Khoury</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

