So I’m a hick. The Maui airport is much larger than the airport in my hometown. It also dwarfs both the Lihue airport on Kauai and the Kona airport on the Big Island.
SFO also has weather delays.
https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/air-travel-consumer-reports-2018 can help you assess the risk of delay at each airport and airline. Table 2 in those reports shows the on-time percentage by airport and marketing airline, while table 2A uses operating airlines.
I’m thinking that San Diego would be a pretty good layover city on your way to Hawaii. Unlike many airports, San Diego’s is very near the bay and downtown. Instead of overlooking dreary industrial parks as most airport hotels do, most of the airport hotels in San Diego overlook the sailboats out there bobbing in the bay. And there is plenty to do, see, and eat in San Diego as the several San Diego travel threads on this board can attest.
Tables or not… Here is our experience. Never fails. 
We are frequent fliers to and from SFO, and flights to HI and international flights get priority out of SFO, UCB. It is the little flights to SEA and PDX that get shafted when the runway is foggy and there is a traffic pattern control.
I agree with @Scipio - San Diego is a nice layover for HI.
Of course, if someone has to connect at SFO to get to Hawaii or an international destination, s/he may be delayed on the inbound, while his/her non-delayed flight to Hawaii or an international destination leaves without him/her.
Not usually when coming from Boston, UCB. Seattle- sure thing.
San Diego as a layover, no question.
^^Agree. Good place to pre-condition yourself for HI. Or to de-HI yourself.
We rarely layover since that ends up costing 2 flights instead of 1. Coming from the east coast it is a long day but doable to go all the way. We usually find more options into Honolulu than Maui, but I am usually using points for first class and that is harder to find. I always look for good planes, too, since some flights are on smaller planes.
We visited Honalulu this winter break when the Government started its shut down. Pearl harbor was open and we could visit Pearl harbor.
we went to the big Island Oahu and Maui. Loved Maui the most. We did a nighttime star gazing at the op of the vocano. we stayed in the mountains.
@downtoearth - did you do a tour for the Haleakala stargazing? My 2 best friends, my adult D and I are heading to Maui in 3 weeks and we booked a sunrise Haleakala tour (we get picked up at 3:30 am, so no, I’m not going to drive it - we could be interested in the stargazing as well. Many years ago (almost 20) I biked down the mountain which was incredible (40 miles down to the beach). I wouldn’t do it today, but we are taking an “extreme” all day circumnavigate the island of L’anai tour - on a zodiac type raft/boat. Every trip we try to do one really off the beaten path thing.
Sunrise at Haleakala can be a total bust. We camped in the park so we would not have to wake up so early… got to the observation parking lot, and giant clouds rolled in just in time for the sun to rise. We were lucky- we had our camping gear. Some unfortunate souls were using beach towels to keep warm. Bring warm clothes!!!
@brentwoodmom : wrote “Help Us Plan Our Trip To Hawaii”.
Best advice that I can offer is to 1) take bathing suits & 2) buy one-way tickets.
My one trip to Hawaii a few years ago, we did the Big Island and Maui. We rented a house on the Hilo side and did some great snorkeling, had a wonderful time seeing the sunset and then star gazing on Mauna Kea (got lucky as amatuer astronomers had their telescopes set up), Volcano National Park, then to Kona on the sunny side visited Waipio valley there. In Maui we stayed in Kanaapli and did some great snorkeling and did some more touristy stuff like sufing lessons and a great hike there as well.
My next trip will include Kauai as I hear that is amazing!
Whatever you pick, you will probably want to go back for more.
Good you are visiting Pearl Harbor. There’s lots to see in and around Oahu. When we last visited a year or so ago, I found that the North Shore was no longer the haven I had remembered from years ago ( stay away from Turtle Bay hotel unless you want to pay $300-500 and not be able to get a chair or lunch because non-guests are in the pool) and be bumping into people who stay at the condos and go to the tiny beach so even the ocean is crowded-yuck. That was one of the worst luxury hotel experiences ever. The view was sublime though. Otherwise, I’d say, stay somewhere with a small hotel. The North shore does have great beaches, just find one without a huge resort.
My kids loved Waikiki. I think it’s fun but I’m not really a city person anymore. Hanauma Bay is still great and there’s lot to do. And don’t miss going to the pineapple plantations.
Have never been to Kaui. We were deciding between Kaui and Maui and someone suggested Maui with kids. They said Kaui was really lush but had less to do. Maui was wonderful. We rented a condo ( highly suggest) and went to Hana ( try to get a hotel up there overnight at least so you can meander). Honestly, if we went back, I’d skip Oahu and just stay on Maui and go all around. Or go to maui for 5 days and Kaui for 2. We flew from Minneapolis to Maui ( was kind of an odd connection but got us to avoid Oahu airport).
Have a great time. Hawaii and the Hawaiian people are really special.
When we go to Hawaii, we typically stay a week or so on Maui, and then 5 days or so on Kauai. We went to Oahu once, to see Pearl Harbor. Although I’m glad I saw Pearl Harbor, it’s our least favorite of the islands we’ve been to.
But come on, it’s all considered paradise, so how bad is it really?
We’ve been to the islands - and Kauai is our favorite. Has a little of everything really. Amazing beaches, snorkeling, hiking, views. Maui is just more commercial. The Big Island is really great - if you could get anywhere near the volcano national park, that’s one thing you really cant experience elsewhere. Oahu is not my idea of Hawaii - although we did stop there a couple of times and do Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head - both amazing experiences.
If you go to Maui and are staying on the opposite side of the island than the airport, you will want to shop big for food, snacks, adult beverages, incidentals at Costco and the Target near the Maui Airport…
Aside regarding travel to/from Seattle being a “sure thing”. One year our son had a delayed night flight from Seattle because a snowstorm on the east coast delayed the plane’s Seattle arrival from New York. That meant a missed Phoenix flight and hours later arrival in Tampa. His flight home via Minneapolis had no problems. Who knew?
Enjoy the vacation.