Provided is a system and method for creating a luggage manifest. The method includes: obtaining, by at least one processor, image data representative of at least one image of printed passenger information associated with an airline travel carrier on an originating hardcopy bag tag or a printed instrument including at least a portion of the passenger information on the originating hardcopy bag tag to create a digital passenger information (DPI) data record linked to the airline travel carrier, wherein the originating hardcopy bag tag is issued for a checked-in luggage item of a passenger, and wherein the DPI data record includes an International Air Transport Association (IATA) license plate number, a passenger name record (PNR) number, an airline code, an airline name, a name of the passenger, or any combination thereof; accessing, by the at least one processor, passenger return flight information from a computer system associated with the airline travel carrier, based on the DPI data record; and, checking in, by the at least one processor, the luggage item, the passenger, or a combination thereof for a return flight with a designated return airline travel carrier associated with the accessed passenger return flight information.