diff --git a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/bookings.dto.ts b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/bookings.dto.ts
index 6e45aeab4..345cfc357 100644
--- a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/bookings.dto.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/bookings.dto.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { ApiProperty, ApiPropertyOptional } from '@nestjs/swagger';
 import { Currency, IdDocumentType } from '@prisma/client';
 
 export class PassengerInputDto {
-  @ApiProperty({ example: 'seat-uuid', description: 'Outbound / leg-1 seat ID (all booking types)' }) @IsString() seatId: string;
+  @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'seat-uuid', description: 'Outbound / leg-1 seat ID (all booking types). Omit for free children (package bookings) — backend auto-assigns.' }) @IsOptional() @IsString() seatId?: string;
   @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'leg2-seat-uuid', description: '**TRANSIT / ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT:** Outbound leg-2 seat ID' }) @IsOptional() @IsString() leg2SeatId?: string;
   @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'return-seat-uuid', description: '**ROUND_TRIP / ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT:** Return leg-1 seat ID' }) @IsOptional() @IsString() returnSeatId?: string;
   @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'ret-leg2-seat-uuid', description: '**ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT:** Return leg-2 seat ID' }) @IsOptional() @IsString() returnLeg2SeatId?: string;
@@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ export class PassengerInputDto {
 }
 
 export class RoundTripPassengerDto {
-  @ApiProperty({ description: 'Outbound journey seat ID', example: 'seat-uuid-outbound' }) 
-  @IsString() outboundSeatId: string;
+  @ApiPropertyOptional({ description: 'Outbound journey seat ID', example: 'seat-uuid-outbound' }) 
+  @IsOptional() @IsString() outboundSeatId?: string;
   
-  @ApiProperty({ description: 'Return journey seat ID', example: 'seat-uuid-return' }) 
-  @IsString() returnSeatId: string;
+  @ApiPropertyOptional({ description: 'Return journey seat ID', example: 'seat-uuid-return' }) 
+  @IsOptional() @IsString() returnSeatId?: string;
 
   @ApiPropertyOptional({ description: '**ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT:** Outbound leg-2 seat ID' })
   @IsOptional() @IsString() outboundLeg2SeatId?: string;
diff --git a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.dto.ts b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.dto.ts
index c6f27d9c3..c2acaeece 100644
--- a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.dto.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.dto.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import { ApiProperty, ApiPropertyOptional } from '@nestjs/swagger';
 import { Currency, IdDocumentType } from '@prisma/client';
 
 export class GuestPassengerDto {
-  @ApiProperty({ example: 'seat-uuid', description: 'Outbound / leg-1 seat ID (all booking types)' }) 
-  @IsString() seatId: string;
+  @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'seat-uuid', description: 'Outbound / leg-1 seat ID (all booking types). Omit for free children (package bookings) — backend auto-assigns.' }) 
+  @IsOptional() @IsString() seatId?: string;
 
   @ApiPropertyOptional({ example: 'return-seat-uuid', description: '**ROUND_TRIP / ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT:** Return leg-1 seat ID. Required for ROUND_TRIP and ROUND_TRIP_TRANSIT.' })
   @IsOptional() @IsString() returnSeatId?: string;
diff --git a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.service.ts b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.service.ts
index f4139d842..1025a42b3 100644
--- a/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-passenger-api/src/modules/bookings/guest-booking.service.ts
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ export class GuestBookingService {
     await this.createTravelerProfiles(guestPassengerId, passengersData);
 
     // Confirm seats
-    await this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId));
+    await this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId).filter((id): id is string => !!id));
     this.eventEmitter.emit('booking.created', { booking });
 
     return {
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ export class GuestBookingService {
     const { guestPassengerId, iamUserId, createdAccount } = await this.resolveGuestPassenger(dto, passengersData[0], req);
 
     // Create booking with outbound seats; return seats confirmed separately
-    const outboundSeatIds = dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId);
+    const outboundSeatIds = dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId).filter((id): id is string => !!id);
     const returnSeatIds   = dto.passengers.map(p => p.returnSeatId!);
 
     const booking = await this.prisma.booking.create({
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ export class GuestBookingService {
     await this.createTravelerProfiles(guestPassengerId, passengersData);
 
     await Promise.all([
-      this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId)),
+      this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId).filter((id): id is string => !!id)),
       this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.leg2SeatId!)),
     ]);
     this.eventEmitter.emit('booking.created', { booking });
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ export class GuestBookingService {
     await this.createTravelerProfiles(guestPassengerId, passengersData);
 
     await Promise.all([
-      this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId)),
+      this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.seatId).filter((id): id is string => !!id)),
       this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.leg2SeatId!)),
       this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.returnSeatId!)),
       this.seatsService.confirmSeats(dto.passengers.map(p => p.returnLeg2SeatId!)),