Oakland International Airport is anticipating nearly 370,000 people will pass through the airport between Thursday, Dec. 23, and Jan. 2 — about 90 percent of pre-pandemic passenger levels from 2019.

This Thursday and Sunday are expected to be the busiest travel days around the Christmas holiday, while the following Sunday on Jan. 2 is expected to also be busy, according to airport officials.

The crowds at the airport will be nearly three times as big as the same period in 2020.

Oakland airport officials recommend that people check the latest COVID-19 travel restrictions and requirements at their destination.

COVID-19 testing is available at the airport, and people can make appointments online.

Dan McMenamin is the managing editor at Bay City News, directing daily news coverage of the 12-county greater Bay Area. He has worked for BCN since 2008 and has been managing editor since 2014 after previously serving as BCN’s San Francisco bureau reporter. A UC Davis graduate, he came to BCN after working for a newspaper and nonprofit in the Davis area. He handles staffing, including coaching of our interns, day-to-day coverage decisions and management of the newswire.