diff --git a/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json b/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
index e4455d475..c648dd926 100644
--- a/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
+++ b/resources/share/shared/bootstrap/bootstrap.json
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
         "url": "http://metar.vatsim.net/metar.php"
     },
     "vatsimStatusFileUrl": {
-        "url": "https://status.vatsim.net"
+        "url": "https://status.vatsim.net/status.json"
     },
     "comNavEquipmentHelpUrl": {
         "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equipment_codes#Radio_communication,_navigation_and_approach_aid_equipment_and_capabilities"
diff --git a/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.cpp b/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.cpp
index c2e0b5352..618a69ee5 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.cpp
@@ -86,56 +86,33 @@ namespace BlackCore::Vatsim
 
         if (nwReply->error() == QNetworkReply::NoError)
         {
-            const QString dataFileData = nwReply->readAll();
+            const QString statusFileData = nwReply->readAll();
             nwReply->close(); // close asap
 
-            if (dataFileData.isEmpty()) return;
-            const QList<QStringRef> lines = splitLinesRefs(dataFileData);
-            if (lines.isEmpty()) { return; }
+            if (statusFileData.isEmpty()) return;
+            auto jsonDoc = QJsonDocument::fromJson(statusFileData.toUtf8());
+            if (jsonDoc.isEmpty()) { return; }
 
             CUrl dataFileUrl;
             CUrl serverFileUrl;
             CUrl metarFileUrl;
 
-            QString currentLine; // declared outside of the for loop, to amortize the cost of allocation
-            for (const QStringRef &clRef : lines)
+            // Always taking the first URL from the file
+            // (at the time of writing, also only one URL per service is available anyway)
+            if (const QJsonArray dataUrls = jsonDoc["data"]["v3"].toArray(); !dataUrls.empty())
             {
-                if (!this->doWorkCheck())
-                {
-                    CLogMessage(this).debug() << Q_FUNC_INFO;
-                    CLogMessage(this).info(u"Terminated status parsing process"); // for users
-                    return; // stop, terminate straight away, ending thread
-                }
+                dataFileUrl = QUrl(dataUrls.at(0).toString());
+            }
 
-                // parse lines
-                currentLine = clRef.toString().trimmed();
-                if (currentLine.isEmpty()) { continue; }
-                if (currentLine.startsWith(";")) { continue; }
-                if (!currentLine.contains("=")) { continue; }
+            if (const QJsonArray serverFileUrls = jsonDoc["data"]["servers"].toArray(); !serverFileUrls.empty())
+            {
+                serverFileUrl = QUrl(serverFileUrls.at(0).toString());
+            }
 
-                const QStringList parts(currentLine.split('='));
-                if (parts.length() != 2) { continue; }
-                const QString key(parts[0].trimmed().toLower());
-                const QString value(parts[1].trimmed());
-                const CUrl url(value);
-                // Always taking last in the file (at the time of writing, the status file also only contains a single URL for each type either)
-                if (key.startsWith("json3"))
-                {
-                    dataFileUrl = url;
-                }
-                else if (key.startsWith("url1"))
-                {
-                    serverFileUrl = url;
-                }
-                else if (key.startsWith("metar"))
-                {
-                    metarFileUrl = url;
-                }
-                else if (key.startsWith("atis"))
-                {
-                    // not yet used
-                }
-            } // for each line
+            if (const QJsonArray metarUrls = jsonDoc["metar"].toArray(); !metarUrls.empty())
+            {
+                metarFileUrl = QUrl(metarUrls.at(0).toString());
+            }
 
             // cache itself is thread safe, avoid writing with unchanged data
             CVatsimSetup vs(m_lastGoodSetup.get());
@@ -151,8 +128,8 @@ namespace BlackCore::Vatsim
             Q_UNUSED(changed);
 
             // data read finished
-            emit this->dataFileRead(lines.count());
-            emit this->dataRead(CEntityFlags::VatsimStatusFile, CEntityFlags::ReadFinished, lines.count());
+            emit this->statusFileRead(statusFileData.count());
+            emit this->dataRead(CEntityFlags::VatsimStatusFile, CEntityFlags::ReadFinished, statusFileData.count());
         }
         else
         {
diff --git a/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.h b/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.h
index ba1ad3cfe..51a292725 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.h
+++ b/src/blackcore/vatsim/vatsimstatusfilereader.h
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ namespace BlackCore::Vatsim
 
     signals:
         //! Data have been read
-        void dataFileRead(int lines);
+        void statusFileRead(int bytes);
 
         //! Data have been read
-        void dataRead(BlackMisc::Network::CEntityFlags::Entity entity, BlackMisc::Network::CEntityFlags::ReadState state, int number);
+        void dataRead(BlackMisc::Network::CEntityFlags::Entity entity, BlackMisc::Network::CEntityFlags::ReadState state, int bytes);
 
     private:
         //! Read / re-read data file
diff --git a/src/blackcore/webdataservices.cpp b/src/blackcore/webdataservices.cpp
index 0cb989ec3..88a994514 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/webdataservices.cpp
+++ b/src/blackcore/webdataservices.cpp
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
         if (readersNeeded.testFlag(CWebReaderFlags::VatsimStatusReader) || readersNeeded.testFlag(CWebReaderFlags::VatsimDataReader) || readersNeeded.testFlag(CWebReaderFlags::VatsimMetarReader))
         {
             m_vatsimStatusReader = new CVatsimStatusFileReader(this);
-            c = connect(m_vatsimStatusReader, &CVatsimStatusFileReader::dataFileRead, this, &CWebDataServices::vatsimStatusFileRead, Qt::QueuedConnection);
+            c = connect(m_vatsimStatusReader, &CVatsimStatusFileReader::statusFileRead, this, &CWebDataServices::vatsimStatusFileRead, Qt::QueuedConnection);
             CLogMessage(this).info(u"Trigger read of VATSIM status file");
             m_vatsimStatusReader->start(QThread::LowPriority);
 
@@ -1293,9 +1293,9 @@ namespace BlackCore
         CLogMessage(this).info(u"Read VATSIM data file, %1 kB") << kB;
     }
 
-    void CWebDataServices::vatsimStatusFileRead(int lines)
+    void CWebDataServices::vatsimStatusFileRead(int bytes)
     {
-        CLogMessage(this).info(u"Read VATSIM status file, %1 lines") << lines;
+        CLogMessage(this).info(u"Read VATSIM status file, %1 bytes") << bytes;
     }
 
     void CWebDataServices::vatsimServerFileRead(int bytes)
diff --git a/src/blackcore/webdataservices.h b/src/blackcore/webdataservices.h
index 9df91e063..5c9584d48 100644
--- a/src/blackcore/webdataservices.h
+++ b/src/blackcore/webdataservices.h
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ namespace BlackCore
         void vatsimDataFileRead(int kB);
 
         //! VATSIM status file has been read
-        void vatsimStatusFileRead(int lines);
+        void vatsimStatusFileRead(int bytes);
 
         //! VATSIM server file has been read
         void vatsimServerFileRead(int bytes);