The invention relates to a method for autothermal gas phase dehydrogenation of a hydrocarbon-containing gas stream (2) with an oxygen-containing gas stream (3), obtaining a reaction gas mixture in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst which is constructed as a monolith (4), and regeneration of the catalyst in a reactor (1) in the form of a cylinder or prism, wherein: - the interior of the reactor (1) is subdivided by a plain cylindrical or prismatic gas-tight housing (G) that is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the reactor (1) into; - an internal region A and; - an external region B arranged coaxially to the internal region A, which is characterized in that the reactor is operated alternately in the production mode for the autothermal gas phase dehydrogenation, and in the regeneration mode, wherein: - the production mode for the autothermal gas phase dehydrogenation is run until the temperature elevation of the reaction gas mixture on exit of same from the discharge line (11) does not exceed 5 K, based on the time point from which the conversion rate fluctuates by no more than 1%, based on the final conversion rate, whereupon; - the reactor is switched into the regeneration mode, with supply of an inert regeneration gas which contains at least 10% by weight oxygen, based on the total weight of the regeneration gas.