Methods and systems for improved catalytic reforming are disclosed. A method of catalytic reforming includes feeding a feedstream comprising C6-convertibles to one or more reactors; contacting the feedstream with a reforming catalyst; selecting values for a LHSV, a H2/HC ratio, and a conversion of C6-convertibles from a deactivation kinetic model so as to maximize a net present amount of benzene produced over a run-length of the reforming catalyst; operating the one or more reactors at the selected LHSV, the selected H2/HC ratio, and the selected conversion of C6-convertibles; and recovering an effluent from the reactor, wherein the effluent comprises at least about 40 wt % benzene.