More airline passengers may take to the skies this Memorial Day weekend than at any time in the last three and a half years, signaling a return to pre-pandemic travel levels.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is forecasting a historic day of air travel this Friday, with more than 2.6 million passengers expected to pass through security checkpoints at 400 airports nationwide.

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“TSA is ready to handle this summer’s anticipated increase in travel," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske in a statement issued Monday afternoon.

The high number of anticipated airline passengers comes weeks after a pandemic-era protocol, Title 42, was rescinded at the nation's borders. Title 42, a public health policy, had allowed border officials to turn away anyone who illegally crossed the border.

Pekoske, the only Senate-confirmed official at the Department of Homeland Security to have been held over since the Trump administration, said the agency is well-staffed and retaining officers as a result of the recent boost in pay approved by Congress.

"This will mean better overall staffing for all of TSA’s activities that support secure and efficient travel and an improved passenger experience," Pekoske said. "Our strong partnerships with airports and airlines will ensure we are able to anticipate and respond to changes in passenger travel throughout the summer."

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TSA's busiest screening days have slowly increased over time since pandemic restrictions were gradually lifted.

The highest screening days in that time occurred in mid-May. The all-time record for most screenings in a single day was November 29, 2019, when 2,882,915 people were processed.